Weird Wolf
by Authenti
Summary: Authenti OC pays a visit to Atmos, and where better to learn the ropes than with the famous Storm Hawks! PERMANENT HIATUS! I accidentally deleted the last 10 or so chapters and they're lost forever...
1. Chapter 1

Authenti, a wolf character of mine, is taking some time to visit the world of Atmos, and she's decided to tag along with the famous Storm Hawks to learn how they do things... Stork, meanwhile, is having trouble understanding the way _she _does things, and is finding her irritating and confusing to say the least. Maybe there will be a very slight Dark Ace / Authenti pairing, though completely one-sided on the Ace's part. Authenti isn't going to stay in Atmos forever, so she tries to make a big splash and get along with everybody despite the Atmosian/Cyclonian war going on while she's there. Unfortunately for you lot, Authenti isn't there to ruin the main storyline of the TV show, so she isn't going to do much except make friends. The Dark Ace probably secretly wishes otherwise. Jeez, what would the children look like!? XD Anyway, read on and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of the characters within the show.

"Claimer": I DO, however, own Authenti and Risk. They are completely mine, and if you claim otherwise you'll see the wrong end of Authenti's threats. Feel free to use Checker, however, as he's a spare character I only made up to fill in for someone. Just credit me somewhere.

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Stork yawned, hunched over the Condor's controls, somehow managing to stay on course. A hand on his shoulder-

"AAGH!"

"Stork, relax, it's me."

"Aerrow… I swear… This had better be good."

"We have to make a detour and pick someone up."

"Oh, we're taking personal trips now, are we?"

"No, actually, this is a person that none of us have met before. But we got a message from the captain of another fleet, and they said we needed to make sure nothing happens to her. Like, like a top-secret passenger that we can't let the Cyclonians attack."

"Fine. Pass me that map."

"Actually, it's right over there, you won't need a map."

Aerrow pointed to an icy terra floating in a haze of cold mist, and Stork grimaced.

"Look, I know how much you hate cold terras, but we really have to do this."

"I know." His voice seemed to imply that if Aerrow didn't walk away right then, he'd … well, no one had really seen Stork lose it before. In fact, the worst that was likely to happen was he wouldn't get an answer. But Aerrow didn't want to annoy him all that much, so he sighed, shook his head and walked away to talk to Finn.

Stork turned the Condor and aimed for the snowy landscape, but not without a wistful glance in the direction of the warmer skies, where they had previously been headed.

Well, at least this time they were prepared. Sort of. Piper had ordered a set of warm, though fluffy, coats for the whole squadron. Everyone looked ridiculous in them, but it was better than having your fingers drop off.

"Junko, could you help out? The door's stuck."

"Glad to help…" He pushed hard, and the door banged open. Immediately, a blast of freezing air swept into the Condor, and Stork shivered involuntarily, then staggered back as Finn threw a coat in his face. He put it on and stood in the doorway, watching the others head off, wondering why Finn wasn't with them. Then, he was pushed out of the door.

"Hey, man, you're coming with us. It'd be too weird to just turn up without you."

He got up and brushed the powdery snow from his front.

"Thank you, Finn, I didn't realise that you're supposed to fall out of the Condor rather than walk."

"Hey, don't be a stooge. Hurry up, or we'll lose them!"

Finn ran to catch up with the others, and Stork reluctantly trudged behind.

However, finding their passenger was proving quite hard after an hour of searching, but eventually Junko shouted that he'd seen someone in the distance.

Hurrying through the compacted ice and snow, they nearly ran into her. A grey wolf on two legs, firmly wrapped up in a thick woolly coat with a faux-furry hood and sleeves. It wasn't clear at first due to the hood, but she seemed to have sky-blue hair that shimmered with different colours in the white light of the snowscape. Her eyes were a vivid orange, and when she spoke, her voice was smooth and slightly childlike, though she was clearly a couple of years older than Aerrow. She smiled shyly at them at first.

"Hi there. So… you're the Storm Hawks, right?"

"Yeah, nice to meet you." Aerrow offered his hand, and Authenti shook it firmly.

"Thanks for agreeing to pick me up. No one else seems to be too keen on coming here. They're all scared of frostbite, or something."

"I wonder why," muttered Stork under his breath, and Aerrow elbowed him. The wolf, on the other hand, tilted her head slightly to one side quizzically for a few moments.

"You're Stork, right?"

Perking a little at the mention of his name, Stork looked up at her properly.

"…Yes…"

"Don't mind Stork, he's just paranoid. And he's a hypo… hypochondriac. Or something like that, right?" It was Finn's turn to receive a painful nudge from Aerrow.

"Shut up, Finn."

"No, no, feel free to badmouth me. This girl can then go and spread it around all the terras. See if I care."

Stork suppressed a high-pitched shriek as something touched his arm. Looking, he found that the wolf had somehow managed to link her arm through his whilst escaping his notice. He twitched, trying to decide whether or not to snatch his arm away, but was distracted by Finn's next words.

"So, what's your name, little lady?"

The wolf fixed him with an icy glare, clearly aware that he was flirting shamelessly.

"I'm Authenti, _at your service_." The last words were as steel.

"Hey, why are we standing here? I'm getting really cold…" interjected Junko.

"Oh, right. Back to the Condor, everyone."

They headed back the way they had come, Stork trying to slide his arm quietly out of Authenti's, but this only made her cling tighter and grin at him, exposing sharp teeth that, although meant in a friendly way, made him feel like she was about to bite his face off. Not that it would matter, if it stopped him feeling the cold around his face then he probably wouldn't care.

"Um." He stopped, embarrassed, unable to think of anything suitably insulting to say that would make her let go.

Finn slowed up to walk next to him and whisper in his ear for a few seconds.

"Dude, you have to tell me how you did it." Then, grinning, he walked faster to catch up with everyone else, oblivious to Stork's glare of pure hatred.

They neared the Condor, and something touched his back. He stumbled, and Authenti held him up.

"Sorry. It gets in the way, eh?"

She gestured to her furry tail.

He glanced at it, grimacing at his misfortune at her taking a liking to him, and reached the Condor. Barely had everyone got inside than he slammed the door shut thankfully, and Authenti unlinked their arms and followed Piper, who was showing her around the Condor.

Later, Stork was piloting the Condor towards bluer skies. He was tired, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, not even himself. Forcing himself to stay awake, however, turned out to be the least of his problems as something appeared on a small radar screen by his left side.

"Aerrow?"

"What?"

"There's something on the scopes."

Aerrow barely had time to look as the Condor was hit from behind by bursts of crystal energy.

"Cyclonians, I'd guess." Stork muttered.

Authenti unexplainably appeared at his side within a matter of minutes.

"So the others all have those glider things, right?"

"Skimmers."

"Right. Am I right in guessing you stay here for combat?"

Stork sighed.

"Yes... Rather them than me," he added, as an afterthought.

"I like your thinking." She grinned.

Stork fixed his gaze on the approaching Cyclonians, confused.

"There's… a spare Skimmer… but you'd have to learn to pilot it first… and it's not been used in quite a while…" Anything to get her to go away.

"I'm a fast learner, but no. I'd rather stay here. But try to lay off all those traps in this room if they get in. Elsewhere on the ship's fine, but…"

"How do you know about those-?"

The Condor shook with another crystal blast.

"Watch your driving, Stork!" Another grin from her was barely noticed as he swerved violently. Somehow they both kept their balance, though Authenti was sliding around a lot.

Within a few minutes, the Storm Hawks had cleared off most of the Cyclonians, but soon the reinforcements arrived, in the form of both the Dark Ace and Ravess, along with numbers of other experienced Cyclonians.

Authenti looked away as Aerrow and the others dealt with many skilfully, but she knew something that they did not.

"Stork…"

He nodded irritably, trying to concentrate on avoiding the worst of the blows the Cyclonians were intent on dealing.

She hesitated, then spoke.

"Stork, they're after me."

"What?"

"It's me they want. Open that hatch."

"It's generally a rule that you don't talk to me when we're busy being doomed. What are you talking about?"

The Condor swerved again, and Authenti nearly fell. Steadying herself, she half slid, half leapt over to the small emergency exit hatch that was covered in other disused junk. Wrenching these things aside, she tugged hard on the hatch handle, and managed to get it open slightly. The wind blew in hard, and a Skimmer flew past, ridden by Junko, with two Cyclonians in hot pursuit. Stork looked round quickly.

"What are you _doing_!?"

"No time to explain, but I'm not in danger. I promise you that."

Praying that the Print would work for her, she slipped her lithe body through the gap and the hatch slammed shut. She was falling, breathless, no parachute- but she didn't need one, she knew. She could feel the familiar ethereal pulse in her veins, she could feel the changes happening, the blood crashing through her head, knew that it was working. Aerrow was pulling down sharply, keeping pace beside her, shouting something, but she didn't hear him. The feathers spread. She spread her wings, and slowed her descent. Aerrow pulled up hard, astonished, and she laughed. A Cyclonian fell from his Switchblade, followed by another, and another. She was faster than all of them, and they stood no chance. The Dark Ace faltered, then yelled something as he, too, was finally knocked from the sky. But Authenti didn't want him to be bothering them any longer. She harried at his parachute when it opened, ripping it in several places, until an arrow tipped with a deadly crystal flew past her, narrowly missing her neck. She snarled and swiftly turned back to correct the offender's mistake. Ravess was dispatched from her Switchblade just as easily as the Dark Ace. Growling savagely, she gave Ravess' parachute the same treatment as his. Their descent was too fast to land safely, but she knew it wouldn't kill them. Finishing off the remaining few Cyclonian fliers, she succumbed to exhaustion. Flying was becoming more difficult; her wings were disappearing, she was falling more than anything. Authenti landed awkwardly on Aerrow's Skimmer, and now she was simply herself again.

Gasping for air, she acknowledged Aerrow's stare with a tired smile, then slipped – but Aerrow caught her paws and heaved her surprisingly light form onto the back, where she lost consciousness to the sound of Radarr's chattering.

Authenti blinked, moved her tail, she was aching all over…

"Oh, you're awake."

Aerrow's face swam into view. She groaned.

"What the heck happened back there?"

She managed to sit up.

"The Cyclonians?" she asked.

"Gone. You missed a few, but they retreated. But seriously, what happened?"

"Dude, you had wings!"

"Way to state the obvious, Finn." Piper stretched, approaching the group, and sat by Authenti, who found that she was still in the hangar. She must have slipped off Aerrow's Skimmer as they landed.

"How long have I been out?"

"Only about half an hour."

"Heh, you know, Stork wouldn't even believe us at first when we told him you were alive." said Finn.

"Heh, he really is a pessimist." She looked thoughtful.

Walking through the halls of the Condor alone, she wondered what to make of it all. The Cyclonians wanted her powers – understandably – and she was endangering the Storm Hawks just by existing here. But there was no other way, and she could deal with the Cyclonians even without the Prints.

Pausing at a door, she found that her aimless wandering had brought her to the main control room of the Condor, where Stork was… She had no idea why she'd just made that mental note, but maybe it was because for some reason she felt safe with him… Which was, in a way, absolutely insane; because anyone would have thought that his endless paranoia was entirely too disconcerting for that. Laughing softly to herself at these bizarre thoughts, she opened the door and walked through. The room was deserted but for Stork, who had taken the stance of someone clearly half-asleep.

"Hey, Stork."

He whirled round, shocked, then relaxed and scowled at her.

"Don't do that, please."

"Sorry. All I did was say hi."

Stork turned back to the controls, his mind wandering, but his stream of thought was interrupted again.

"You know, where I come from, people aren't supposed to drive when they're asleep.

"Do I look like I'm asleep to you?" he snapped.

"Well, not really, but you sound irritable... and to me, that's linked to tiredness." She grinned at him again.

"I'm fine."

"Admit it." She was at his side now, hands clasped behind her back, smiling at him.

"I really don't think-"

"Oh, I get it. You don't want to think so, therefore you aren't tired at all. Right?"

Stork scowled at her again. This wolf _thing_ was so annoying!

"Heh, I guess so."

"Will you be _quiet!?_"

"I'll take over if you want. Then you can go and get some rest."

"There's nothing wrong with me! …Well, besides-"

"Besides the whole 'I'm coming down with something' routine, I know."

"What will it take to get you to go away?"

"What will it take to get you to admit that you have to sleep every once in a while?" She was laughing softly.

"And besides, how in Atmos are you going to fly the Condor?"

"You tilt the panel whichever way you want to go. This shuts off all the power if you need to go silent…" She proceeded to outline the basics like the brakes and numerous other things, until Stork was forced to speak.

"Ok, ok. So you can fly it. Kind of." He eyed her. "But how did you know that?"

"I've been watching how you do it. It's only natural, I take an interest in these things."

"Right…" Clearly, he wanted to shuffle away from her, and was only prevented from doing just that by the fact that otherwise the Condor would crash. Laughing annoyingly, Authenti finally just shoved him aside and took the controls. Stork stood, outraged, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Come on, Stork, does it matter? Go get some sleep, you can't change my mind. Or go and complain to Aerrow, but he can't do much either, I'm afraid." She looked at him and smiled. Stork twitched angrily, and stood there for a further minute before realising that he looked very stupid and should probably give in.

"Fine. But I'm not leaving this room."

"I didn't ask you to."

"_Aagh! _You're infuriating!"

Authenti just laughed loudly.

"Wow, Stork! You're actually saying something not related to doom for once," laughed Finn, walking into the room. Stork glared at him, and Authenti ignored him.

"Hey, Auth." Finn kept walking to look out of the window, then stopped and turned around to stare at her.

"Problem, Storm Hawk?" enquired Authenti politely.

"Stork isn't driving…!"

"I… decided to let him take a rest."

"Against my will!"

"I'm not going to force you to go to sleep, Stork."

Finn blinked, completely lost.

"You _pushed _me away!"

"Whoa… Never seen Stork so angry before," mused Finn, trying to pick up the thread of the conversation.

"If you don't give up now and let me drive again, I'll… I'll…"

"You'll what?" The wolf bared her bladelike, sharp, white teeth at him, a feral glint in her eye, but she blinked and looked away quickly. "You'll fall asleep on the controls and crash the Condor, that's what. Better a newbie than an exhausted expert."

Stork took a step backwards, trying to hide the offended look that was spreading across his face.

"Dude, now that she mentions it, you haven't slept in three days… I have to side with the 'newbie' on this one." Finn looked slightly worried now.

Just then, Aerrow entered, and it took him no time at all to deduce what had happened.

"Stork…?"

He jumped at the mention of his name. "You know what, I'm going to just go and ignore you all in a corner somewhere."

"Make it that corner." Authenti gestured to a comfortable, though old-looking, sofa by the side of the Condor.

"You will not give up, will you?"

"No, and if you don't go and lie down right now, you'll probably keel over where you stand. _Do it_."

"You said you weren't going to force me!"

"But I will, if that's what it comes to!"

"Um, dude, you might wanna do as she says… She sounds pretty angry to me."

"I _really _don't need your thoughts on this one, Finn!"

Authenti sighed. "FINE!" she yelled, and stormed out of the room… but once Stork was at the controls again, sulking by himself, she gave a sly grin and headed off to Piper's quarters.

Stork fumed silently, wrenching the controls a little harder than he probably should whenever he needed to turn. How _dare _she? But at least she had given up. For now. He kept his gaze on the ever-shifting clouds on either side. Wait… Clouds? This area was supposed to be clear! Checking the charts and maps scattered on a small folding table beside him, he began to worry. He was right; the reports said that this area should be sunny and warm, clear skies all round… and there was a chill creeping in everywhere that he knew shouldn't be there.

He whirled around just in time to see Authenti and Piper, the latter holding a Sleep Crystal, aimed at him… and then, everything went black.

"Nice aim, Piper."

"Eh… It's easy. But… why did you want him out?"

Authenti smiled sheepishly, then explained as Piper helped her move his still form onto the sofa she'd pointed to earlier.

"…and Finn said he hadn't slept for three days. Didn't any of you even _notice_?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest, we don't pay much attention to the symptoms of tiredness, not from Stork anyway. He's almost always like that."

"Almost?"

"Well, he doesn't sleep much. But I think he's supposed to. Actually, I don't know anything about Merbs."

"Hmm."

Authenti walked to the controls and took over from the now unconscious Stork.

"Well, you need to make him sleep more often."  
"The thing is, Authenti, we can't. We need him to fly the Condor, since none of us can do it. He only really rests up properly when we land, and only then when… well, you know."

"When he feels safe."

They both blushed, feeling like they'd said something insulting. Authenti risked a glance over to him, and for some reason she still felt like she'd done the right thing.

"Well, anyway. I heard him muttering about something to do with the clouds…?"

"Yeah, all the reports say these skies should be clear… and they're not. It looks like there's a storm approaching, and it's way colder than usual. I'll have to look into it."

"Do it. Fast. I don't like the looks of this up ahead." The wolf gestured to a couple of small terras, which were covered entirely in…

"Snow? Here? I don't understand! It should be warm! I'll go get the others… um…" Piper paused and looked at Stork.

"They won't say anything. I'm sure they'll understand." She grinned and bared her teeth at her.

"I see. You go, girl." They grinned at each other, and Piper departed to find Aerrow.

"Stork gave in?"

"Umm…"

Authenti glared at Aerrow, and he changed the subject quickly. Clearly this wasn't something to be spoken about.

"So anyway, something about the weather?"

"Dude, you brought us here for a weather report? _Lame!_"

"Quiet, Finn!" Piper began to explain the problem as Junko entered and sat down near them. Authenti continued to concentrate entirely on the clouds ahead, fighting against increasing turbulence. In the corner, Stork murmured something and stirred. She tensed and looked back, but he slept on. Turning back, her eyes widened and everyone flinched as a lightning bolt cracked overhead. It got colder, and soon flakes of snow were falling all around the Condor.

"This is bad," muttered Aerrow, walking up to the glass once Piper had finished. Another lightning bolt fizzed and crackled, and everyone was tense. Then, a wind whipped up.

"Crap! Hold tight, people, I'm not licensed to drive this thing!"

Fighting against the gathering storm, the Condor shook and swayed with the force of the wind. Finn was clutching at the walls desperately.

"See, this is why Stork is the pilot!"

"Quiet, Finn, even Stork would be having trouble! This isn't your average blizzard!" cried Junko, arguing for the sake of trying to break the tension. Sliding to either side of the Condor, everyone was shouting at each other, and Stork was moving, then he fell from the sofa onto the floor.

Hearing him yell in surprise, Authenti shouted back, "Stork! Help over here!"

Immediately he was at her side, snatching the controls. They were in danger of crashing into a snow-covered terra-

"Pull up! _Pull up!_"

Authenti nodded and heaved on the controls with him, and somehow the Condor avoided the collision. Finn yelled as Aerrow slid over him, and everything was chaos… Junko hung onto a door frame, and everyone was lifted off their feet. Authenti and Stork struggled to keep the Condor on course-

Suddenly, a shape loomed out of nowhere-

a Cyclonian airship-

with a figure at the front.

"Cyclonis!"

The figure laughed, and held a shining crystal high.

"A blizzard crystal!?"

"It was the Cyclonians! This whole thing is to get rid of us!"

"Take her out! Junko and Finn, get to the cannons!"

Skittering around trying to keep their balance, the two obliged.

"Piper! Anything you can do?"

She thought for a while, hanging onto the sofa, then yelled above the wind: "I can try to merge some more powerful crystals for Junko and Finn!"

"Do it!" yelled Aerrow, and she ran out of the room to find the crystals.

Stork yelled something above the din, wrenching at the controls as a volley of crystal blasts hurtled through the snow towards the Condor, which jerked and rattled with the shock of the crystal power. Growling darkly as she followed Stork's example, they managed to get out of the way, exposing the Condor's cannons for Junko and Finn to shoot at the massive warship. Authenti snarled as her sensitive ears picked up laughter from Master Cyclonis, and she yelled to Stork. "Hold the Condor steady!"

She let go, hurrying over to Aerrow. "You have to take me out there!"

"What!? In this weather? The Skimmer'll get torn apart!"  
"It won't if me and Radarr hold the wings straight!"

"You're insane, you know that?"

"Better than nothing! Come on!" She literally dragged him to the hangar, where Radarr chattered loudly at the thought of heading out.

"Sorry, Radarr, but it's our only chance!"

When they were outside, they fought hard to hold the Skimmer steady as they made a ragged beeline for Master Cyclonis.

Growling, she tensed and got ready to leap.

"You can't make it from here! Let me get closer!"

"No need!" Trusting in herself as much as she dared, she made the death-defying leap from the Skimmer, crashing through the glass at the front of the warship. Aerrow yelled something about waiting for her, but she shook her head. "Go, and come back for me!"

Standing shakily, she shook the snow from herself like a dog, then bared her teeth and headed through the mazelike interior of the warship, fighting the guards that opposed her with a fury that was not her own. Scrapping paw-to-hand, not afraid to use her teeth, the guards that confronted her soon backed off, and she taught the same lesson throughout the ship. Then she headed higher, and eventually picked up a strange, tinny scent that somehow made her feel cold inside. Knowing that it had to be the Blizzard Crystal, she headed straight for it and soon enough she was entering a room with a vast window at the front, partially obscured in the centre by a shadowy figure.

"Master Cyclonis…" she growled.

The figure turned slowly, and smirked at her. The hood unfolded and became separate spikes.

"You."

"Shall we dance?"

"Come on, wolf, that line's _old_." Cyclonis dropped her cape to the ground and brandished a staff, fixed with the Blizzard Crystal.

Authenti leapt forwards, but Cyclonis was not surprised by her agility. Hurling herself to one side, she smirked again.

"You would do well-" she dodged another attack, "-to join the Cyclonians!"

"Hah! The stereotypical 'join us and we will make you powerful' phrase. I hate so much to disappoint you, but…" She lunged suddenly, and caught Master Cyclonis with a powerful punch.

"Agh!"

"…No. No, I won't join you, and I never will. My alliance lies only with…"

"The Sky Knights."

"I was thinking myself, but I suppose, for the time being…"

"You have the right idea. Don't trust anyone, right?" She leapt to her feet after being knocked down by a tackle from Authenti, and fired several freezing blasts. Authenti managed to narrowly dodge the first two, but the next caught her side, and then the Cyclonian leader followed up with a volley of sharp ice shards, which made gashes all over her side where she had failed to dodge correctly. Yelping as one dragged across her cheek, she narrowed her eyes and sprang forwards, unleashing her jaws… Her teeth caught metal, and she found that she'd been blocked by the staff. She smirked, closed her teeth around it, and wrenched her neck so the staff came free of Master Cyclonis' fingers. Somersaulting backwards, she took the staff and, at a harsh cry from Cyclonis, smashed the crystal tip on the floor. Almost instantly, the biting wind withdrew from outside, and the blizzard began to still itself. Smirking to Master Cyclonis, she gathered up the crystal pieces with a thought for Piper, and snatched the staff back up from where she'd slammed it down.

"You're wrong. I can trust… unlike you. You, you need to learn to slow down and relax a little… I know someone else with the same problem! I can always tell who I can trust, and you're not one of them. Much obliged for the study guides, _Master_ Cyclonis. What's up with that, anyway? You're a girl!" She stood to attention, saluted, and left Master Cyclonis shouting after her with threats and curses as she ran down the corridors of the warship. This time, brandishing her prize of the staff, no one dared to get in her way. The staff was a sure sign that Master Cyclonis had been defeated… they didn't want to try their luck with her.

"Here. I kept what's left of it, thought you might want to take a look at it."

Piper beamed. "Thanks!"

"And take the staff, too… for much the same reason. I know you have your own, but I don't have a use for it."

Piper nodded and hurried to take them to her crystal lab.

Authenti sighed, now devoid of anything to do but be congratulated by the rest of the Storm Hawks.

"Authenti, Stork said to get you to talk to him."

That shook her. Standing up, she glared at Finn as he made kissing noises and girly "Ooo!"s as she walked past, then kicked him so hard he fell off the sofa.

"Don't try my patience, Finn." He looked worried as she bared her teeth, then she walked off smirking.

"O…k… that was a bad idea."

Authenti wandered vaguely towards the Condor's control room, wondering what the heck this could be about. Tossing her shimmering blue hair as she walked in, she walked up to Stork, who hadn't noticed her, and laid a paw on his shoulder.

He… didn't even flinch…

Sighing and biting his lip, Stork pondered on how to string the right words together.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Well…" Another pause, another hesitation, made her retreat a little to seat herself on the floor, looking out of the huge main window.

"About… About earlier."

"Mm?"

"You…" He risked a nervous glance down, and immediately looked straight back to the skies ahead as the sun caught her eyes and made them gleam a deep orange, like sunrise. He didn't want to even look at her. It was too embarrassing. "You flew the Condor well. I guess."

"Heh, you think so?"

_Don't push it,_ he thought. "I guess." He repeated. "Well…"

"Don't be nervous, Stork. Not more than usual, anyway."

He didn't seem to notice the slight insult. Sighing again, he turned his head away a little more.

"I shouldn't have shouted at you earlier."

Authenti gave a secret smile, unseen by Stork.

"And I… I'm sorry."  
Another long, awkward silence.

"You were right. I don't sleep enough, if you must know, but they need me to fly the Condor, and no one really notices, it's not like they worry about me, not for a slight lack of sleep problem, right?" He couldn't believe he was telling her this.

"I noticed immediately. If they're too busy doing recon to worry about their pilot, then they can go jump into the Black Gorge without you."

At the mention of the Black Gorge, Stork flinched.

"I overreacted, anyway, and I'm sorry too." She paused, ears perked. "If you've got a camera with you out there, I'm about to hug him, so go burn yourselves!"

"Crud!" Finn fumbled with the camera in his hands. "How the heck did she know we were here?" He retreated with Junko, who shrugged, and they decided it was best to leave them alone.

Stork didn't register with what she'd said until she got up and fixed her arms around him, when he made a high-pitched scream and lurched away from her, then slowed his breathing and relaxed.

"Don't touch, don't touch!"

Authenti laughed and hugged him tighter, then let go.

"Well, you're still as jumpy as usual."  
"A question… how long was I asleep when you got Piper to stun me?"

"Not long. Only about fifteen minutes at the most. Look, I know it won't change you anyway, and to be really truthful… I'm glad you'll stay the way you are. But if you want me to…?" She motioned to the Condor's controls.

Stork blinked, almost blushed, then stepped away silently and slipped off to his not-often-used quarters without another word.

Authenti smiled to herself, glad she'd somehow done something for him, and relaxed into keeping the Condor on course.

_He's so awkward,_ she thought. _Wouldn't have it any other way._

Aerrow stared as Stork passed him in the corridor, but decided against saying anything. Walking into his own quarters, he lay on his bed and wondered how long until they got to the terra where Authenti left them. Whatever she'd said to Stork, she was doing something right. He'd looked so relaxed in the corridor…

_Maybe if I ask her…_ He thought for a while. _No. I know what her answer will be._

"Five minutes." Authenti looked at the timekeeping mechanism, which she'd never quite figured out, then down at the old watch on her wrist. Somehow, it seemed like the watch and the floaty gold glowy thingy – she paused to laugh at her incompetence – were somehow in sync in some way. She blinked, and concentrated on the terra that was already approaching through the fog.

"Crap!" She'd never learned to land. But she needn't have worried. A shy smile to her indicated that Stork would do it himself.

A whole night had passed since Stork had left her at the controls, and yet she didn't feel a bit tired. Maybe it was excitement, or her wolfish stamina that enabled her to keep going. Whatever it was, she didn't think the feeling would stay for long.

"Authenti…?"

She turned around calmly, and acknowledged Aerrow with a nod of her head.

"Well, I know it's your stop and all… but…"

"Would I like to stay?" She sighed. "I can't."

"I thought you'd say that."

"I… I want to."

Stork couldn't help glancing at her over his shoulder.

She suppressed her already quiet laughter at this and tried to look as if she hadn't noticed.

"I want to stay. But I can't. I have to go."

"But there's one thing I never really understood," Aerrow said, questioningly. "Where will you go?"

Authenti thought for a moment.

"You know, I never really know where I'm going. But I go from place to place and help out if I'm needed. Which I always seem to be, in some way or another."

"You mean when the Cyclonians were after you."

Authenti paused, trying not to glance at Stork, who was busy landing the Condor.

"Yes."

"Well… good luck."

She smiled at Aerrow, then turned to leave the room as the Condor landed smoothly on a large outcrop of a huge terra.

As she left, Authenti couldn't help feeling that she was missed. Sure enough, Piper ran out, as did the rest of the Storm Hawks, and ran up to her, panting.

"I almost forgot. I made you this, to remember us by."

Authenti looked at what Piper was offering her, and smiled. It was a silver pendant with a piece of the Blizzard crystal set into it.

"Thanks. I won't forget. I'll never forget."

She nodded to the group, and smiled as they said their goodbyes for a final time and the Condor lifted off as Stork, unknown to the others, saluted her with a grin.

She laughed and waved back, smiling, and watched the Condor as it headed into the distance.

_Wherever I'm needed. That's where I'll go._

And she headed off, amber eyes glinting in the late sunset. Her last thoughts?

_I have a feeling I'll see them again._


	2. Chapter 2

Authenti laughed and spoke in whispers to Risk as the Condor's main hatch opened and the familiar figures of the Storm Hawks appeared, almost falling out of the Condor to get to her.

"Authenti! Haven't seen you in ages-"

"Whoa, you're exactly as I remember-"

"Who's your friend-?"

"So which is which?" hissed Risk, whiplike tail lashing the air behind her, his voice cutting through the Storm Hawks' joyful yelling like a laser through darkness.

They paused and looked at her as Authenti explained.

"These are the Storm Hawks. This is Aerrow-" he stepped forwards and offered his hand, which was laboriously ignored, "-and this is Finn, Piper and Junko… but… where's Stork?" The others smiled or nodded politely, most taken aback by the creature in front of them.

This 'creature' was a lizardlike being, with paws rather than claws as feet, and a streak of rainbow coloured hair running down its spine, ending in a tuft on its tail and large spikes at the head; on either side of its skull were two pure white horns, and its eyes flashed a cool silver-blue through a set of glasses. Its scales were jet black like a raven's feathers, green and blue where they caught the light, but a streak of blank white covered what they could see of its neck and probably all the way down its underbelly.

"Well… he wasn't feeling too good."

Authenti hid her worried expression. "No? Who flew the Condor?"

A figure clanked down the metal entryway, and the Storm Hawks moved aside to let him through.

"Well, we got Checker here to cover for Stork."

Grinning, the lanky human offered a hand to Authenti, who shook firmly.

"Nice to meet you, Checker."

"And you. I'm guessing you'd be that Authenti kid, huh?" He then offered a hand to Risk, who simply regarded him coldly with her arms folded. He raised an eyebrow, and withdrew his hand.

"Yes. But really, what happened to Stork?"

"Worried, huh?"

Authenti laughed nervously.

"I suppose you could say that."

"Well, to be honest…" cut in Aerrow, then wished he hadn't. "…well… We don't know."

Piper then stepped forwards at Authenti's appalled face.

"It's something none of us have seen before. You have to remember, we don't know all that much about Merbs, especially not their ailments."

"Hmm." Tossing her hair, she followed the Storm Hawks into the Condor, Risk at her side.

"Well maybe Risk can help. She's an expert on medicine. Even if she's never worked with a certain species before, she can always find a cure."

"Really?" exclaimed Piper, intrigued.

"Not always," mumbled Risk doubtfully, modest of Authenti's compliment.

"Usually. She's treated everything, from hamsters to dragons!" This got her a playfull cuff around the head.

"Don't brag, Auth."

"Well, anyway, there's only one guest room in the Condor, so you'll have to share… Sorry."

"It's fine, I'll sleep on the floor."

Piper looked alarmed.

"Are you sure, Risk?"

"I like sleeping on the floor. In here," she added, and pointed to a corner. They'd entered the Condor's control room, where fill-in pilot Checker was busy trying to get the Condor above cloud level. Authenti scowled at his inadequacy as the Condor jerked violently, barely avoiding the side of a large mountain. She wondered-

"Could we see Stork?"

"Um, sure, but he might be asleep."

"I might need to wake him anyway, if the symptoms aren't specific enough." Risk folded her arms, tail swishing impatiently.

"Well, ok. Follow me." She headed off back down the corridor, the way they'd come, taking a different route at the end. They stopped as she did, outside a door, which Authenti assumed was Stork's quarters. Pushing the door gently, Risk took charge and entered, followed by Authenti and then Piper.

"Stork…?" called the wolf into the gloom.

They could see quite easily, and what they could see was that the room was a mess; gadgets and mechanical parts lay everywhere, mainly spilling out of crates lining the room and over the edge of a workbench, which was also littered with blueprints. But it was a comfortable sort of mess, and the sort of thing that happened to wherever Authenti stayed. The windows that would normally overlook the cotton-wool clouds were shuttered tight, making the whole place a lot darker, but it was still clear to tell that the bed in the corner was occupied. Moving closer, Authenti couldn't help but notice how pale his face was. Eyes tightly closed, she could only hope he was just sleeping.

Risk moved forwards and tilted her head down, holding the back of her slim hand close to his mouth.

"Shallow breathing." She applied her fingers to his forehead. "Running a dangerous temperature. Piper girl, get some ice." Nodding, Piper hastened out of the room to find some, looking as if she was glad to leave.

Risk took his pulse next, and shook her head.

"Much too fast. It might be dangerous for him, but we'll need to wake him to find out more." Taking the opportunity that Piper was away, she smiled deviously to Authenti.

"So, this is the lucky guy, hmm?"

Authenti felt a growl rising in her throat.

"Imply anything like that again and I'll get to find out what lizard eyes taste like!"

"Oh, Authenti. Always such the violent one. But really, why tell me so much about him?"

"I told you just as much about the others. Now, do I wake him or not?" she snapped.

Risk nodded, still grinning slyly. She loved to torment Authenti like this. It was so funny seeing fur blush.

Authenti tapped his shoulder, then shook him gently.

"Stork? Stork, wake up. It's me…"

He moved a little, then suddenly his eyes flew open and he retreated quickly against the wall, pulling the covers with him.

"Au… Authenti?"

"Yes, sorry to wake you, but my friend's a doctor and she needs to find out what's wrong with you."

"Why are you here-?" He trailed off, noticing the lizard next to her, his voice coming out only in a whisper anyway.

"Don't worry, she's here to help. You can trust her."

Relaxing only slightly, he flinched as pain suddenly shot through him.

"Let's not beat around the bush, hmm?" Risk brushed her rainbow hair out of the way of her eyes, and prodded her glasses further up her snout. "So, what do you know about this, does it hurt, and when did it start?"

Pausing, Stork seemed to stare at Authenti as if she wasn't there, then he shuddered in pain again and spoke.  
"Dizzy… and… it hurts to breathe," he rasped, a hand to his chest. "It didn't matter, at first…" He couldn't seem to concentrate…

"Focus, Stork…" Authenti steadied him with a paw on his shoulder, worried at seeing her friend so ill.

"But it must have got worse, and you collapsed, right?"

The merb nodded and brought a hand to his chest.

"Do you know a cure? I think I have a good idea, but if you know, I need you to confirm it."

Another pause, and he swayed a little.

"Thorn… Thorn plant…" He shook again, and Authenti forced him to lie down.

"You'd better get back to sleep."

"Well, we'll need to work fast…" Stork shut his eyes tightly. "and… the thorn flower… mentioned something… books…"

Stork was now unconscious as they were speaking, getting up to leave the room, Authenti's one last look over her shoulder at Stork…

Cyclonians. They brought with them a veil of fear that seemed to encompass Checker, who hadn't had time to train for combat situations. "Just keep her steady and keep moving fast. The Cyclonians will keep pace, but they won't get a clear shot if you swerve." Authenti was giving him a short briefing, having learned from Stork last time she was here, working with him in a tremendous storm that Master Cyclonis herself had conjured with the use of a powerful blizzard crystal… but she was jerked back to the present as Aerrow slid into her, nearly knocking her over.

"How the heck do you manage to balance so well?" he enquired, heading for his Skimmer with Authenti in tow.

"Well, it helps to have a tail. But mainly, I think it's because of what I've done before."

"What do you mean?" asked Aerrow, launching himself onto his Skimmer, Radarr appearing at his side almost immediately.

"Well," began the wolf; "I sort of do really weird stuff. Some call it daring," she added.

"Like what?" The engine revved, and Authenti declined his offer to get on straight away.

"Simple." She watched as the Skimmer moved towards the skies, then suddenly darted forwards and threw herself over the edge, Aerrow keeping pace as she fell with a nosedive. "I take myself for a joyride!" She lunged out and caught the wing of his Skimmer, and loved the feeling of pure exhilaration as he pulled up and her insides did somersaults. She swung herself up and landed neatly on the slant of the wing, one paw clinging to the front of the wing to make sure she didn't slide off. Aerrow stared at her until her grin ended and she yelled, "Fly for the Wastelands!"

"What!?"

"Do it now! You don't want to know what will happen if you don't!"

Wisely, he headed down through the clouds as fast as he can, acknowledging the cryptic threat. Soon, with scores of Cyclonians struggling to keep pace and get a clear shot, they were swerving over desert hillsides. Authenti narrowed her eyes, and waited.

Wait.

Wait for my stop.

A flash of white-

"Go," she whispered to herself, and sprang backwards, falling to the ground below with a shower of sand. Stood up again, and saluted to the Cyclonians as they flew past with angry yells of "Get her!", flying too fast to stop and shoot immediately.

Authenti pounced forwards and dug wildly at the sand where the white tip of something soft poked through a little. Soon, the bud of the flower was on show, and she winced as she grabbed for it and thorns shot out and into her paws. No time for pain, not now; she waved to Aerrow, and as he approached she managed to quickly jerk some more of the vital plant from the sand, and then she was gone, back on the wing of Aerrow's Skimmer, leaping for the Condor, missed- caught it again- pulled herself up, slamming the fistful of flowers down as she struggled to avoid falling. Ran, flowers in paw, to Stork's room, where Risk was waiting for her, eyes hinting at something bad.

"In, quickly." She found herself being shoved through the door, shaking as the Condor was hit by Cyclonian fire. "Show me."

She held out her paw, wincing as she opened it, blood dripping onto the floor. As she relaxed her paws, the spikes in the flower withdrew and the stem was marked but smooth.

"Pass them to me." The wolf obliged, pausing afterwards to examine the clean, though painful, wounds from obtaining the Thorn flowers.

"Good. Pass me that… thing, over there. Whatever it is. I can use the sharp edge."

Authenti nodded, reaching for the odd piece of machinery. Risk cut at the flower bud, which was tightly shut, and managed to remove the petals.

"Take it, and make him breathe in the pollen."

"How?"

"I don't know! Just do it, and quickly! Wake him up if you have to!" Risk began working on the next flower, and Authenti shook him awake.

"You have to breathe this in, I don't think it will hurt-"

"It will, but bear it…" Risk said, no time to look up.

Stork nodded dizzily, and there was a golden glow coming from the pollen as he took the flower weakly, aided to sit up by Authenti.

Bringing it close to his mouth, they needn't have worried. The pollen seemed to lift itself up, each particle giving off a warm golden glow, but as Authenti watched, each tiny grain grey spikes, just like the original plant…

Wincing, Stork managed to breathe the strange dust from the flowers that he was given, then choked a little, then lay back, eyes unseeing, staring at the ceiling. He closed his eyes, hand to his chest, pain…

"Will he be alright?"

A grey-furred face swam into view, he felt sick…

"Should be fine. Give him time to rest up. We were almost too late. It's amazing how ignorant his fellow team-mates are. Though, I suppose, it is a rare problem, doesn't happen often. Not many can recognise the symptoms, and it's never been recorded to happen to a pureblood human, so they probably wouldn't know."

Just then, Finn poked his head around the door.

"Sorry to butt in, but what's happening? There was this weird light from the door…"

"Stork's going to be ok," stated Authenti, aware of the worried expression on Finn's face. Instantly, he relaxed.

"Jeez, he really had me scared there."

Sighing, Authenti turned back to look at his still pale face.

"Just one more reason to believe in his paranoia. But, well, he wouldn't be Stork otherwise, mm?"

Finn grinned. "Man, you got that right."

"Well, since I've been looking after him for three hours straight, maybe I could take some time off…?" Risk's voice was sharp.

"Of course. Thank you so much, Risk…"

Stork recovered slowly. It took three days, but almost as soon as his hands hit the Condor's controls again, he seemed to look much better. Maybe it was just because everyone was so used to seeing him flying the Condor, rather than Checker and his rough handling, but something in the air changed. Everyone was relaxed, until the fateful event the day after Stork was up and about again…

"Stork…?"

"Talk to me now, and the Condor will crash and we will all burn as it explodes!"

Wrenched on the controls.

"Crap."

Silence, oppressive. Like a storm about to break, though the clouds outside were already pouring.

Then, the Cyclonians received more orders. They tried a new tactic; some came around front to try and break the window and enter that way; the main fleet swarmed around the back, near the runway. In the runway.

"Agh! Piper, quickly, don't let them get near the crystals we have, use them to fight the Cyclonians off. Junko, clear the way for Finn and I to get to our Skimmers. Stork, full speed!"

Authenti and Risk waited, feet tapping, arms crossed.

"Fine, _fine, _if you want something to do, patrol the corridors and take out as many Cyclonians as you can."

"Done." Risk headed for the door when Aerrow had cleared off. "Coming, Auth?"

"I'll stay here. If they get in here, I hate to say it, but even all the traps on the Condor won't keep them away."

Stork shook his head, irritated, but fought for control of the Condor as proximity mines exploded all around.

"I really don't need your help…" he complained, but Authenti just grinned.

"I thought you said you couldn't talk right now."

Stork grunted something unintelligible, wrestling with the controls.

No time to say anything else; the window cracked, split, and shattered completely under heavy fire from the Talons outside.

Authenti leapt forward with surprising speed and landed on a Cyclonian wing, sliding along its slant and kicking the occupant out of the seat. Another jump, and she'd torn another rider from his vehicle by the back of his clothing. She retreated from the skirmish outside, willing them to stay out of her way: she couldn't keep this up much longer…

"Whoa, need some help over here?" yelled Finn, shooting fast and taking out three more Cyclonians.

She saluted him – it was becoming a habit now – and turned to see Risk being pushed through the door, overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Blocking the door with a staff that appeared to belong to Piper, she yelled something over the din.

"Authenti, make sure nothing happens to Stork! If he goes, so do we!"

"You think I don't know that?"

"You're sure acting like it, get the hell over there!"

She turned in time to realise she was needed. Leaping forwards, she fended off the Cyclonians who were heading straight for her, Stork and Risk, who had troubles of her own. They knew that Stork was vital. Even with the few driving skills she'd picked up, she was unlikely to get them out of here as well as Stork could.

"That… is really distracting…" muttered Stork as she booted a Cyclonian out of the way.

"I can't help fighting near you! Unless, of course, you actually want to prove your paranoia…!" She grimaced as a crystal shot glanced off her arm, the force of it ripping through her shirt and drawing blood. "Agh…"

"Come on, Storm Hawks! We need your help, wherever you are!" Risk's yell pierced the fighting, and right on cue, Piper appeared on the back of Aerrow's Skimmer. She managed to jump over to the Condor, fingers cut on broken glass as she clutched wildly at the edge, scrambling over the top-

"_Move, Risk!_" she shrieked, hurling a crystal towards the door.

"Glad to oblige," grumbled the lizard, leaping to one side as the crystal exploded like a bomb, sending the Cyclonians at the door flying.

Authenti felt the Condor lurch to the side almost before it happened. And when it did, she still wasn't prepared.

"Aerrow!"

A gasp from Piper. A whisper, her lips forming the word…

"No..."

The wing had scraped the Condor. Stork had tried to avoid him, but no one was that fast.

The Skimmer fell.

Aerrow fell.

The ground is too close. I can feel it rushing towards me, right in my head.

I can feel it.

"Piper?"

Silence.

"Will Aerrow be okay?"

"I hope so." The words came out small.

More silence.

No one moved.

The door clanked, and everyone stood but for Stork.

Risk's gaze silenced all questions.

"I've done allI can for him, but I can only buy so much time. Stork, get to the control room and fly us to the nearest hospital, fast."

Silence.

"_Stork_!"

He jerked out of the trance-like state suddenly, stifling a yelp of surprise.

"Wha-? Right… Oh…" He exited the room silently then, the door eerily creaking shut behind him before settling with a click.

Within minutes, the Condor had taken off again. Everyone braced themselves for the burst of speed that came soon afterwards. Authenti got up and headed for the control room silently. Everyone else dispersed to their quarters except for Risk, who headed to keep an eye on Aerrow's condition.

"Stork…"

"Ah!" He jumped, whipping round to face her, then simply glared and turned away.

There was a long silence in which neither said anything. Finally, Authenti piped up.

"Don't lose hope."

He merely closed his eyes and sighed.

"I know how hopeless it seems, but when we get to the hospital I know he'll make it."

Stork scowled at nothing in particular.

"_If_ we get there in time."

"When."

He visibly drooped.

"I trust you enough to believe that." With that, she left him to his thoughts and went to sit down on the sofa, brooding over what had happened.

Aerrow was pursued by a whole fleet of Cyclonians, and had struck the Condor in his haste. Then, the wing snapping, the Skimmer went into a swivelling nosedive. He opened his parachute normally, with Radarr clinging to him, but he was a sitting duck. The Cyclonians, it seemed, were taking no more chances. They wanted the Storm Hawks dead.

He'd broken his right arm, several ribs and his collarbone, and he'd been burned badly by crystal shots. He looked terrible, and Authenti shunned the mental image from her mind. But he was still alive, and she had faith in the best pilot in Atmos. She just hoped the best was good enough.

"Junko, carry Aerrow to the hospital. They'll know what to do when you get there. Finn, Radarr, Risk and Piper can accompany him, and I'll ask Stork if he wants to go. Set off now, there's no time to waste.

The team accepted her authority even if she wasn't a Sky Knight. She seemed to have replaced Aerrow for the time being, aided by Risk. Right now, the Storm Hawks just needed a nudge in the right direction. They were completely at a loss without their leader.

A paw on his shoulder. He knew the feeling so well now he didn't move. Pausing, he realised that she was the only one he'd stopped flinching at. Maybe it was the unique change in the fact that she had paws, maybe it was the aura of calmness that seemed to emanate from her in all situations. Maybe it was that. He sighed as she jolted him back to the present.

"Stork, they're taking him to the hospital now. Do you want to go?"

He paused, then nodded slowly.

"I know you've given up. I can see it in you, in the way you stand, in your eyes, in your voice when you speak."

He tensed at this. How could she possibly have been able to tell? Sharp. Sharp as a dagger. Sharper.

"But mostly in your eyes. The one place that I can read your mind, Stork, is in your eyes. Otherwise, you've bloody gone and padlocked yourself up. But I can sometimes just _feel _what you're thinking, just by a glance into your eyes. Do they know, Stork? Do they know how easy it is to read someone like a book? I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. If anything, it's making you feel worse because I'm a creepy evil-eyed wolf with sharp teeth and crazy hair who can tell what you're thinking. But I trust you enough to have gotten us here fast enough to let Aerrow live. And we'll see him live yet." She paused, aware that he was turning to look at her. "Come with me to the hospital. It's hard, but the others are waiting. We can't let them down now."

Silence.

_Silence_.

The sound of two pairs of feet exiting the Condor.

"Well, it appears that you got here in the nick of time," explains a young human doctor. "If you'd come a minute later, we'd have lost him."

A nudge from Authenti on my left. Reminding me. She was right.

"Cyclonians, hmm?"

The lizard thing nods. I can sense the hatred in the air, everyone hating the word.

"Well, they sure wanted to make sure they did a good job."

I can feel myself tense unwillingly, waiting for the bad news that is inevitably to come next.

"But he's going to pull through. Just."

What?

_What_?

A breath in my ear, whispering something.

"Thanks to you, Stork…"

She's a strange one, that wolf. But maybe, just maybe… maybe I can trust her.

I'm smiling.

She can see my smile, just faintly.

"It took a lot of hard work, but…" The doctor's voice fades. I've heard all I need to hear, and I'm not listening any more. Authenti is probably grinning that secret grin of hers behind my back, that smile she always smiles when she's happy with something. I know where she goes now, why she paid the visit back to the Condor.

Wherever she goes, she heals. Not healing in the physical sort, of course. She has Risk for that. She heals minds.

I'm lucky to have met her, even fleetingly. All of the Storm Hawks are lucky, but the others don't know it yet.

I'll always be paranoid. Jumpy. Skittish. But I've never been that close to despair before, never _really _thought it was over. I haven't thought of this properly before, but Aerrow and the others mean a lot to me. And after he was maimed so horribly, well, I couldn't take it. I wanted to leap into the Black Gorge – how I hate that name – and let the horrors take me. I never thought I'd be thinking that, not ever. Maybe Authenti doesn't know properly where she's going, but she turns up when and where she's needed most. I respect her for that. And I'm going back to the Condor early. I know she only persisted in getting me to come to the hospital for one reason, and that was to show me that Aerrow was going to be okay. To make me see for myself.

She's one of a kind.

"Are you sure you're going so soon?" asked Piper.

Authenti paused in her pacing of the corridors.

"Well, I'd love to stay… but it's another one of those 'have to' things."

Piper nodded, and sighed. Authenti continued her restless padding around the metal floors as the navigator withdrew back into her room. Pausing at the door, she turned around.

"I forgot to ask, where should we drop you off?"

Authenti thought for a moment, then a sheepish grin spread slowly across her face.

"Well…"

"Oh, no."

"You won't like it, but…"

"Don't even suggest it."

"…Please?"

"Why in _Atmos_ do you want to go there!? You'll get yourself killed!"

"Pleeeeease?"

"You know what, you're one crazy wolf. But sure. We'll probably get shot down on entry, but what the heck. The Condor is worth one crazy whim, huh?"

"Look, fine. Fly me halfway, and I'll use the spare Skimmer to enter myself."

"Idiot."

"And I think Risk wants to come with me, so that's both of us you'll be free of."

Authenti had reached the Condor's main room once again, but she didn't just pace straight past this time. Opening the door and stepping in, Piper in tow, she caught Piper's reluctant, but reassuring nod.

"Stork?"

"AH!" He turned, tripped backwards and threw his arms up in defense before recovering himself and blushing. "Oh, um, right…?" Got up and dusted himself off, not meeting her eyes.

"Uh, okay… Set course for Cyclonia."

"WHAT!?"

"Well, it took some convincing him."

"You sure you're going?"

"Have to. Like I said, it's something vital."

"Something vital? You don't even know what you're going for, do you?"

"Sorry I'm late. Had to check up on Aerrow. His sling got caught on one of the Condor's metal plating tiles, and I had to get him a new one. He's a surprisingly fast healer, your captain." Risk took off her glasses and cleaned them on her lab coat before replacing them again. She eyed the spare Skimmer with a look of disdain.

"We're going on that?"

"Well, we can't endanger the others. So, yes, we are."

"Doesn't look all that safe to me."

"It hasn't been used in almost a year. Junko and Finn patched it up for you, but it won't withstand Cyclonian fire." Piper looked worried.

"We'll be fine, Piper. I promise." With that, she shook Piper's hand firmly and jumped aboard, side-saddle, behind Risk. The engine revved, and they took off.

"Fly around front a sec." Risk obliged grudgingly.

Stork jumped at their sudden appearance, then gave an inaudible scream as Finn appeared beside him, nudging him out of the way. Grinning sheepishly, he waved feebly.

Junko appeared too, followed by Piper.

"She must have run all the way to the front of the Condor," remarked Risk, grinning and waving to them all.

Authenti scrambled up and stood on the hill of the slanted wing, standing tall and giving them a salute, blue hair reflecting the sky in every individual strand as the clouds gathered overhead. The Storm Hawks waved back, and Stork turned the Condor with a final shy grin in their direction, unwilling to come anywhere near the Cyclonian boundaries.

Then, they were off.


	3. Chapter 3

Authenti smiled to herself. The wind blowing sheets of rain into her fur, her face, her clothes┘ it was exhilarating. Risk, on the other hand, just groaned as the rain pounded harder. They were approaching the first Cyclonian outpost.  
⌠Risk, slow down and come in slowly, and head for that guard station. Convert to ground vehicle once we▓re over the terra.■ ⌠Right.■ They entered cautiously, aware of the look of surprise on the Cyclonian guards▓ faces. Authenti led, heading up the circling stairs with silent padding feet, water dripping onto the stone steps. Pushed open a door-  
⌠Freeze!■ Authenti did so after lowering herself to one knee on the floor, tail down respectfully. She prayed Risk was doing the same behind her.  
⌠State your intentions,■ the guard▓s rough voice called out. Authenti sensed the hairline waver in his voice.  
They▓re afraid of us.  
⌠We will explain ourselves only to Master Cyclonis herself, but I give you my solemn word we are not here to harm any of you.■ Another guard spoke up.  
⌠Do I know you?■ A pause. ⌠Oh, crap, it▓s the wolf kid that Cyclonis is after! Get her!■ ⌠Lay one hand or crystal on me and you will gain experience in having your eyes gouged out with gloves made from your own hair,■ she growled. They stopped. ⌠We will not harm you if you give us free passage to the inner city, and tell the other outposts to do the same.■ A rustle, the crackle of radio static, the guard speaking in a low voice. She heard him do as she▓d asked, and nodded, standing up and turning to exit the room.  
⌠Wait.■ She stopped at the door and flicked an ear to show she was listening, not bothering to turn around.  
⌠You▓re really not going to try anything?■ ⌠I▓ll follow your example. If you try to hurt me or my friend here, I▓ll make sure it comes back to you tenfold.■ ⌠Um┘ Right┘■ They left, and Risk grimaced as the rain pelted on her face, her glasses steaming a little. She took them off and pocketed them, choosing to fly in low visibility rather than none.  
They took to the skies, and rocketed forwards.

Authenti was stopped at the gates.  
⌠State your intentions, wolf.■ ⌠We require a private meeting with Master Cyclonis. Send her the message, and tell her that we promise not to harm her. I give her my solemn word.■ ⌠And I give mine.■ Risk▓s hair, straggly and sopping wet, plastered over her face, was no longer a bright rainbow. Instead, the colours had become murky and dark.  
⌠Wait here.■ They waited. And they waited. Finally, a young guard was sent to them.  
⌠They┘ they said┘ You have to come with me,■ he stuttered.  
⌠Incompetence. It▓s bloody everywhere,■ grumbled Risk, receiving a sharp nudge from Authenti but choosing to ignore it. ⌠Everyone hires the inexperienced young ones. I fail to see their reasoning.■ ⌠Quiet, Risk.■ They followed the young guard to a heavily-guarded chamber, where he conversed with the other guards there, then nervously let them inside-  
⌠You▓re to wait here,■ A hand across her middle, preventing her from entering the chamber. She snarled, silvery eyes flashing dangerously.  
⌠Only the wolf can enter. Cyclonis▓ orders.■ ⌠Sorry, Risk, but you▓ll have to stay here and wait for me,■ hissed Authenti.  
Risk scowled and retreated to sit cross-legged against the wall opposite the door.  
⌠Wolf.■ ⌠Master Cyclonis.■ The hooded figure turned menacingly, and the hood unfolded slowly to change into a set of spikes.  
⌠You defeated me last time. I will not be so easily fought again.■ ⌠I know. I have no intention of attacking you.■ Cyclonis hid her confusion.  
⌠Why have you come?■ ⌠To put it simply, I▓m here to aid you.■ At this, there was a pause. The great leader opened her mouth to speak, outraged, but Authenti interrupted her.  
⌠Yes, I dare to ask. I do not wish to harm you or any of the Cyclonian population. I only wish to live as a servant, willing to do your bidding.■ ⌠You▓re serious.■ Authenti nodded.  
⌠As serious as I could ever be.■ ⌠You believe I▓d trust you enough to let you waltz into battle under the Cyclonian flag?■ ⌠No.■ Another hidden expression on Cyclonis▓ part, this time of frustration.  
⌠I expect to be given the lower servant jobs. If I do anything wrong, shoot me with a poison arrow.■ The hint of humour went coldly ignored by Cyclonis, and there was a long, steely silence broken only by the faint footsteps of someone walking past in the corridor. Finally, Cyclonis spoke.  
⌠You will be kept under close surveillance. One┘ paw┘ wrong, and I will kill you myself.■ ⌠You have my word.■ ⌠That means nothing.■ Cyclonis turned away, and exited the room via a small door at the opposite side. Authenti turned on her heels and padded out the way she▓d come.  
⌠Success.■ ⌠Idiot,■ was the only response she got from Risk, who stood up and brushed herself off.

The wolf slept soundly. It was boring to watch. Cyclonis had at least expected her to lay awake staring at the ceiling, or pace the room, or try to contact her lizard friend, or something! But, as it was, she posted a guard at the camera to monitor her on a night shift, and considered going to bed. Yawning, she took one last glance at the lizard▓s room camera. The lizard was also sleeping. It was too easy to just dismiss them both as completely mad. There had to be some reason, some secret plot, some lies, something against her. There was no way anyone who had consorted so freely with the enemy would just simply walk in and request a servant▓s position.  
Cyclonis didn▓t know Authenti.

⌠Oh, room confinement is great. Just one more thing to add to the ever-growing list of things I don▓t like that are caused entirely by you.■ ⌠Quiet, Risk, you▓re starting to sound like Stork.■ ⌠Give the girl a medal! That▓s the fiftieth time she▓s mentioned her secret lover, all hail to the mighty Stork-⌠ ⌠JEEZUS RISK, THERE▓S NOTHING GOING ON BETWEEN STORK AND I! If this wall wasn▓t here, I▓d freakin▓-⌠ ⌠Get outta here, Authenti, you▓ve got chores to do. I▓ll just sit here and rot.■ ⌠Shut up, Risk!■ She got up off her bed and prepared for the third long day of answering to Master Cyclonis▓ every whim.  
Today, she▓d got the lucky job of feeding the chickens.  
⌠Freakin▓ weird, seriously, there are chickens everywhere I go. Even that Terra with the snow on it still had a whole freakin▓ flock in the village,■ she muttered to herself. ⌠Come to think of it, I think I saw one on the Condor! Jeez, that▓s really weird. Maybe I dreamt it though.■ ⌠Shut up and get up. The grand mistress herself wants to see you.■ Authenti looked up at the guard, not surprised to see a playful grin on his face. Even in the short time she▓d been in Cyclonia, she▓d made friends with almost all the guards with her crazy ways and little quirks about her, that always made her seem so friendly. Allowing herself a private giggle at the thought, she headed for the meeting chamber, accompanied by the guard.  
⌠You wanted to speak with me, Master?■ Cyclonis sighed, the kind of reluctant sigh given when a person is resigning to something and hoping it will work out.  
⌠Authenti┘■ The wolf waited in a respectful silence.  
⌠I have decided, though reluctantly, to give you a flight-based mission to scout outside of Cyclonia for any hereby uncharted terras. You will NOT take your lizard friend with you.■ She gave the kneeling wolf a look of disdain. ⌠You will instead be accompanied by a selection of Cyclonian fighters, including both my best sharpshooter and┘■ Cyclonis hesitated. ⌠┘and the Dark Ace.■ Authenti looked up.  
⌠Both?■ ⌠The reason,■ snapped the young leader, ⌠is that the area you will be scouting is dangerous. And I don▓t trust you. I▓ve seen what you can do.■ Authenti nodded.  
⌠Keeping that in mind, exactly how dangerous is this area?■ Cyclonis▓ expression darkened.  
⌠Dangerous enough even for the Dark Ace to be unable to go alone.■ Authenti nodded. ⌠I see.■

Hot! Hot! Painful and hot!  
Authenti swung her tail up away from the magma. Any longer that close, and it would have caught fire.  
⌠Aren▓t we flying a little low?■ The Dark Ace slowed enough to fly alongside her.  
⌠Complaining?■ Authenti rolled her eyes, which seemed perfect copies of the orange lava below.  
⌠You▓re about to crash into a rock.■ The Dark Ace blinked, confused, and Authenti shoved his Talon out of the way of the approaching boulder before swerving wildly to avoid it herself.  
⌠The hell was that!?■ he yelled, annoyed.  
The wolf simply grinned at him. ⌠Complaining?■ The Dark Ace couldn▓t think of a suitable comeback before she spoke again.  
⌠Race you to the volcano up ahead.■ She tested her Talon to the limit, swerving madly to evade the lumps of flaming hot rock in her way, but the Dark Ace▓s fighter was at least three times as fast as hers, which Cyclonis herself had approved to be slow enough to pose no threat if Authenti tried anything stupid. Which she had no intention of doing anyway, but Cyclonis didn▓t believe that.  
⌠Pathetic,■ the Dark Ace stated.  
⌠Not my fault your mighty leader is paranoid enough to believe that I▓m plotting against her.■ ⌠Take that back!■ he roared, but she grinned at him again.  
⌠Keep your eyes on the road.■ ⌠What road!?■ ⌠Road, sky, lava, call it what you like, I▓m calling it a road!■ The Dark Ace argued with her like this until he ran out of breath, and she still didn▓t stop talking to him. Eventually she had to stop, too, however. Someone reported seeing a terra somewhere above the cloud cover. They pulled up, and headed straight there. It was a small terra with a dormant volcano on it. When they landed, the ground was warm beneath their feet, most likely because of the hot air rising off the wastelands beneath.  
⌠You five, follow me and map the terra as we go. Be detailed.■ Dark Ace headed off, leaving Ravess and several others behind to guard Authenti. Ravess looked bored, so Authenti approached her.  
⌠Hi there.■ Ravess eyed her with a look of contempt.  
⌠You▓re the violin player?■ Ravess took a step back. ⌠Erm, yes┘■ ⌠Do you have it with you? I really, really want to hear it┘■ She received a stare of evident surprise before Ravess recovered herself.  
⌠Don▓t try to win me over with flattery.■ ⌠I▓m not trying to win you over. I▓m trying to get you to play.■ Ravess▓ hand moved slightly towards a compartment of her Talon, on which she was leaning. Authenti smiled sweetly at her, and she faltered.  
⌠Please? I▓m not going to steal it. I know how much things can mean to people.■ Her own paw strayed to rest gently upon the ruby engraved in a thin line of gold upon her purple arm bracers.  
Ravess met her eyes, and sighed.  
⌠What harm will it do?■ she asked, spoken more to herself than the strange wolf before her. She drew out her violin and, after a pause, began to play. It wasn▓t her usual battle theme, which she played for inspiration before a fight; this was calmer, more relaxed.  
Authenti was a good listener. She merely sat on the very edge of the terra, her feet dangling into the sky below. Smiling, she closed her eyes and let the warm breeze caress her silvery-blue hair.  
Ravess played softly, and lost herself in the music. Her accomplice Cyclonians ceased their speech, knowing how Ravess would react if they interrupted even accidentally.  
Finally, she let the music fade to silence broken only by the faint whisper of the wind through the hairline faults in the terra.  
Neither moved, neither spoke: Authenti now with her eyes open, watching the clouds drift by her footpaws; Ravess standing with her violin in one hand and the bow in the other; until the Dark Ace reappeared.  
⌠We▓re done mapping. Move out.■ Authenti got up and headed for her Talon, passed swiftly by Ravess.  
⌠Maybe you▓re not that bad after all,■ came a whisper. Authenti grinned, and revved the Talon.

⌠We have no idea how many terras there are out here, but it▓s our job to find out. Don▓t be disheartened.■ Dark Ace was trying to rally the other Cyclonians, who were tiring of the endless terras that seemed to keep coming from nowhere. Every piece of rock seemed to need marking down in every tiny detail; every mistake was punished harshly.  
⌠Keep moving.■ They▓d found a jungle terra, dense canopies preventing them from entering directly. They▓d had to land right on the edge, on a rocky outcrop barely big enough to hold all of the group.  
Then the trouble began when Authenti spotted a claw print bigger than her head.  
⌠Pay no attention, it▓s just a rock formation,■ she hissed, struggling under the talons of a giant scaled creature whose teeth reminded her of a cavern of stalactites and stalagmites. ⌠Rock formation my arse!■ She swore suddenly as the claws tightened. Then Ravess made the mistake of aiming an arrow at its eyes. It lumbered for her, and after a major scuffle they found their attacks to be completely ineffective. Authenti had gotten herself free, but the Dark Ace was in trouble. The beast had decided him to be the larger threat and had managed to pin him down. Claws were piercing his armour; he tried to break away but it was holding him down too hard, its entire weight focused on him.  
Pain, a threatening cracking sound, couldn▓t breathe, a malicious face thrusting down towards him-  
A howl escaped from Authenti▓s jaws, and she was in front of the beast▓s face, a snap at her, but she withstood. Paws holding the creature▓s face away, she dug her footpaws in. She was slipping, but to try and counter, the beast had removed its claws from the Ace.  
⌠GO!■ she snarled, footpaws slipping, her own claws cutting grooves in the dry ground.  
Gasping for air, the Dark Ace lifted himself to his feet and coughed hard, clutching at his chest. He staggered to one side, and Authenti moved aside in time for Ravess to get a clear shot at the huge lizard▓s eye again. Blood spattered her, she shivered involuntarily despite the heat, and as the beast thrashed in pain, she withdrew into the jungle the way they▓d come. The Dark Ace was keeping pace, but only just, and eventually he collapsed against a tree.  
Everything went black.

Authenti stayed in her kneeling position, smiling her secrecy away to herself.  
⌠Yes, Master. He was maimed during a fight with a huge beast as large as the treetops. If Ravess hadn▓t aimed so well, we▓d never have gotten away.■ ⌠Ravess?■ Cyclonis turned, questioning now her sharpshooter.  
Ravess gave a quick glance to Authenti √ why hadn▓t she mentioned her own deeds?  
⌠She is speaking the truth, Master.■ ⌠Fine. You may both leave.■ Cyclonis turned away, back to the crystals she was fusing.  
The sharpshooter and the wolf left the room, but in the corridor, Ravess confronted the other.  
⌠Why didn▓t you say anything?■ she asked.  
⌠I told the truth.■ ⌠You omitted a relevant part of that truth; a part that would have gained trust from Cyclonis. Why?■ Authenti laughed cryptically.  
⌠Because, quite frankly, I▓m not going to be the one to threaten the Ace▓s position.■ Ravess▓ eyes widened. She sighed.  
⌠What do you mean?■ ⌠What would Cyclonis do if she found that her greatest fighter was saved by an outcast like me? After all, before now, I was the one who sprained his leg, remember?■ Ravess recalled the incident with the ripped parachutes, and sighed. Authenti took the opportunity to sneak away to her chamber, exhausted.

⌠Let her in.■ ⌠What!?■ ⌠I said, let her in!■ The guard flinched, opening the door to allow Authenti to pass.  
⌠And now, leave.■ ⌠What if-?■ ⌠She won▓t try anything. Even if she did, I could handle her with more than just my rib broken!■ The guard nodded and retreated out of the door and down the corridor.  
⌠Ravess told me about what you told Cyclonis.■ He paused. ⌠Or didn▓t tell her, in this case.■ The Dark Ace looked, roughly put, quite pathetic. His chest was bandaged, and his normal armour had been removed, leaving him with only the normal clothes he had on underneath. His face was pale and drawn, but he was otherwise himself.  
Authenti nodded.  
⌠I expected she would.■ ⌠Why?■ Authenti smiled and met his eyes with a mysterious expression.  
⌠Because I know what she▓d do to you if she found out.■ Dark Ace looked away, and found himself unable to meet her eyes again.  
⌠I suppose I shouldn▓t be surprised. I▓ve heard enough about you to say that.■ ⌠But you are, eh?■ She smiled at him.  
An oppressive quiet ensued.  
⌠Why do I trust you?■ he asked.  
⌠Can▓t you answer that yourself?■ He gave a low sigh.  
⌠I suppose not,■ she answered for him. ⌠Well, maybe it▓s because I saved your life.■ He lifted his cold stare to the window, where the skies were darkening, and said nothing.  
⌠I▓ll see you around, then.■ He remained silent, and Authenti left the room.  
When he knew she▓d gone, he drew in a deep breath and let it out in a resigned sigh.  
⌠Why do I trust you?■ he asked again, questioning into the silence.

Risk had done her job well. Being the only medic on hand when the mapping crew had returned with an injured Dark Ace, she▓d patched him up perfectly, and he healed just as quickly as Aerrow had done.  
⌠What is it with these people and breaking their ribs?■ she grumbled, tail lashing.  
⌠We▓re leaving soon.■ ⌠What?■ Authenti forced a smile.  
⌠Leaving. As in going away. But we▓ll need supplies first, especially if we▓re going to try and find the Storm Hawks when we go.■ Risk nodded. ⌠I▓ll go to the Cyclonian market. Haven▓t had much of a chance to see the sights, myself.■ Authenti smiled dreamily to herself.  
⌠You know, it▓s strange, but┘■ Her own tail swished behind her gently. ⌠┘I don▓t want to leave.■ ⌠Ohh, I get it. You got over that Merb pilot and now you▓ve set your sights on the Dark Ace!■ Authenti snarled and her eyes flashed dangerously.  
⌠Don▓t push it, Risk┘■ she hissed.  
⌠I▓ve got a tip: toss your hair in front of him, gets them every time,■ Authenti tackled her to the ground and exerted extreme willpower to keep her teeth away from Risk▓s neck. Risk herself merely looked amused.  
⌠Hit a nerve this time, hmm?■ ⌠Don▓t joke about these things. You have no idea how close I was to snapping then.■ Authenti got up and allowed Risk to do the same, dusting herself off.  
⌠Well, I guess I▓ll just go get the groceries then,■ Risk grinned, leaving Authenti to her mutterings. She passed the Dark Ace in the corridor and suppressed laughter. He glared at her, unaware of his far-from-perfect timing, and strolled powerfully by.

A blue shape, pulling at her lab coat. She looked down properly, and her silvery eyes widened.  
⌠Radarr?■ ⌠Rarrk!■ As she watched, the little blue form skittered through the crowd and disappeared down an alleyway with a final beckoning gesture to her. She looked around, and followed discreetly.  
⌠Risk!■ Piper was standing, draped in a hooded cloak, with Radarr on her shoulder.  
⌠Piper! How the heck did you get in here?■ ⌠Paralysed the guards in the towers. Quickly, where▓s Authenti? You need to get her, and come to the boundaries of the city.■ ⌠Did she send you the message without telling me?■ ⌠Must have,■ Piper grinned.  
⌠Damn it!■

About fifteen minutes later, Authenti was following a disgruntled Risk to the city boundaries.  
⌠Come on, does it matter?■ More grumblings from Risk. She couldn▓t quite hear them, and wasn▓t sure she wanted to.  
⌠Hey, Piper! The message got through okay?■ ⌠Yup┘■ They followed her through the short expanse of wilderness and past the guard towers, which Authenti assumed to be incapacitated.  
Soon, they got to the edge of the terra, where Piper had parked her helicopter-like mode of transport. Piper climbed aboard and bade them wait there. Soon, she returned with Finn, and Risk climbed aboard behind him. Authenti gave one last long, searching look towards Cyclonia, and hopped up with Piper. They launched off the edge and flew towards the clouds. Authenti turned back, feeling like she was being watched.  
There was a figure, rapidly dwindling in size as they flew away, at the edge of the wastelands. She gave an unseen smile, and turned back.

The Dark Ace had followed them as far as he could before he risked being seen. Watching her leave, he struggled with his own thoughts. He should give them away, radio back to Cyclonia, or take them himself. But┘ something inside him made him wait. He caught a glimpse of a blue-haired being turn and he was sure she▓d seen him, but he still couldn▓t bring himself to move. Finally, he simply turned and trudged slowly back to the city, back to his quarters inside the palace. He would keep his silence. No one need ever know that he let them escape. No one need ever know.

⌠Gone?■ Cyclonis▓ voice was calm yet deadly.  
⌠Y-yes, Master┘ Their possessions too, but nothing else seems to have been t-taken┘■ ⌠FOOL!■ She turned and threw a bolt of crystal energy to him, knocking the guard against the wall. ⌠They▓ll give away every weak point of the city to the Sky Knights and their pathetic council! What will we do then!?■ The guard had fallen unconscious. She let him slide to the floor, giving one last hateful look towards the sky outside, as if a fleet of Sky Knights were about to appear through the rain at any minute. Then she swirled her robes as she turned away, anger screaming up inside her head.

⌠Oh, come on! Not even just a little hint?■ ⌠No. I promised my secrecy to Cyclonia.■ ⌠You what!?■ ⌠You heard. Come on, Finn, surely even you can understand honour.■ ⌠Cyclonians don▓t have honour! Dude, why do you think Aerrow broke his arm!?■ ⌠They have honour. You want me to tell you a secret?■ Finn lowered his voice. ⌠What secret?■ ⌠The Dark Ace.■ ⌠What about him, Auth?■ ⌠I saw him standing near the edge of the terra when I looked back.■ ⌠You what!? Then why the hell haven▓t we been attacked yet?■ ⌠That▓s just the thing. I don▓t think he▓s even told Cyclonis herself that we▓re gone. Someone else must have tipped her off┘■ ⌠Dude, what makes you believe that for even a second?■ Authenti hesitated.  
⌠Well┘ I saved his life.■ Finn screamed.  
⌠You did WHAT!?■ Authenti proceeded to give him the details of their encounter with the dinosaur-thing.  
⌠Whoa. You just┘ You just saved his life? You just went in and saved the life of our enemy▓s greatest fighter? Just like that?■ ⌠I didn▓t want to just let him die.■ ⌠You didn▓t want- has this not sunk in yet? He▓d kill any one of us without a second glance!■ ⌠Well I can understand if he wouldn▓t want to look at you twice!■ Finn ran a hand through his hair vainly, and Authenti grinned and headed for the control room she knew so well.

⌠Hey, Stork.■ Stork turned, and nodded to acknowledge her presence.  
⌠What made you come so close to Cyclonia▓s borders to pick us up?■ Stork smiled wryly.  
⌠You▓d do the same for me, right?■ ⌠If you were stuck on Cyclonian terra, I▓d fight the way in myself. You wouldn▓t last five minutes in there.■ Stork rolled his eyes. ⌠I know┘■ ⌠Well┘ thanks.■ Stork turned back to the Condor▓s main window, making sure they stayed on course.  
Authenti grinned at his shyness. Just as she remembered. Not even Aerrow had changed, despite his injuries, though he seemed more irritable than usual. Probably due to the fact that he was confined to the Condor and the terras rather than flying his Skimmer. This was because Risk had stated that it▓d be too dangerous for him to fly with a broken arm.  
Authenti sighed gently, sitting in the open hangar of the Condor, legs dangling off the edge and clouds drifting against her footpaws, just as she had done on the edge of the uncharted volcanic terra when Ravess had played the violin. She grinned at the memory, then focused suddenly. For a second, she thought she▓d heard the motor of a Skimmer. She shook herself and pricked up her ears, listening hard. Sure enough, there was a definite hum in the air, but it didn▓t sound quite the same as the Storm Hawks▓ vehicles. By the faintness of the sound, she deduced that whoever the person was, they were taking care to remain just out of view, using the cloud cover to their advantage √ and, she realised, just off the edge of human hearing. She was the only one who had noticed, and she began to think the worst.  
What if I was wrong? What if the Dark Ace is coming to kill us?  
She shook herself at the thought, and remembered the confusion she▓d seen, fleetingly, in his eyes when she▓d lied for him.  
No.  
She didn▓t fully understand how she knew, but she did know that he wouldn▓t harm them┘ yet. And besides, there was only one Talon out there, so whoever it was had come alone. Even the Dark Ace couldn▓t take down the Condor by himself.  
Authenti blinked with the sudden realisation that the sound was becoming slowly louder. The Talon was approaching them at last. A glimpse of a dark shape, and the noise was gone. The Talon▓s engine had been switched off, allowing the person to approach in silence. She had to rely on her sight.

The Dark Ace didn▓t know why he▓d come, not really. He felt he had to tell her, tell her what was going to happen. But why? He was disobeying the strictest code of Cyclonia, he was double-crossing Cyclonis herself. He was putting his own life in danger, and he didn▓t know why.  
The Ace shook these thoughts away, and focused on the dark silhouette that was looming out of the dense fog. He leaned forwards and flicked two lenses up, peering through them carefully. Perfect √ the wolf herself was sitting, alone, at the back of their┘ Condor.  
But as he approached, he hesitated. Did he really want to do this? Too late to back out now; she▓d seen him and was standing, head cocked to one side, clearly confused at his presence.  
He shouldn▓t be here.  
⌠Dark Ace?■ That familiar voice, cutting through his clouded mind. He landed, tense, in the Storm Hawks▓ ship▓s hangar.  
There was a silence. Neither moved.  
⌠Why are you here?■ She didn▓t sound annoyed, as he▓d expected her to; she sounded merely inquisitive. ⌠If the Storm Hawks find you here┘■ ⌠They won▓t be able to harm me. Worry more about yourself.■ Another awkward silence, broken finally by Authenti.  
⌠Why are you here?■ she asked again.  
⌠I came┘ to warn you.■ He paused. ⌠Cyclonis is going to attack you at dawn tomorrow.■ Authenti waited for an explanation, and when none came, she gave up with a smile.  
⌠I▓m not going to ask why you▓re telling me this. I know you wouldn▓t answer me.■ The sound of footsteps.  
⌠Go, before they find you. I▓d be forced to do something I▓d regret.■ The Dark Ace looked up suddenly.  
She▓d regret killing me?  
⌠Go!■ He slipped the wings back into position and with a loud rev, his Talon disappeared from view as swiftly as he▓d appeared.  
⌠Hey, Auth┘ um, what was that?■ Finn had walked in only seconds afterwards.  
Authenti was standing by Aerrow▓s Skimmer, one paw on the handle, pretending she▓d made the noise herself.  
⌠I wanted to do a check-up on Aerrow▓s Skimmer. I▓m planning on tagging along to let him fly it.■ ⌠Oh, a surprise present.■ He laughed.  
⌠I suppose so. It can▓t be that great to sit back and watch while you lot are out flying.■ ⌠I guess not. Good idea. You ready now, or what?■ ⌠Actually, I have something to tell you. It▓s important, so get everyone together in the control room.■ ⌠Um, right.■

After Authenti had explained to everyone the news from the Dark Ace, she had trouble silencing their questions.  
⌠How did you find out?■ asked Piper.  
She avoided the question and spoke with a lighter tone.  
⌠In the meantime, Aerrow needs to get flying again. Piloting a Skimmer with one arm is going to be hard, so I▓m taking you for a test run,■ she grinned in his direction. His eyes lit up, and he vaguely reminded her of a kid being given a new toy for Christmas.  
⌠It▓ll be dangerous-⌠ ⌠But we▓ll need him to fight the Cyclonians tomorrow. As much as I hate to admit it, even I can▓t handle them all alone.■ Aerrow grinned.

⌠So far, so good.■ ⌠M▓hm.■ Authenti was standing on top of the sidecar meant for Radarr, being unwilling to lower her dignity that much as to squash herself inside it.  
⌠Can I try a few things?■ ⌠Go ahead.■ She crouched, and clung onto the edge of the sidecar.  
Aerrow pulled on the controls, and managed a one-handed barrel roll.  
⌠Nice moves. Might have to hold on a bit more though,■ she mused, seeing his hand had almost slipped from the controls.  
⌠Yeah. It▓s so weird, like I▓m gonna fall off any minute.■ ⌠Well, just don▓t go fighting the Dark Ace in this state.■ Aerrow looked at her.  
⌠What will we do, then?■ ⌠I▓ll take care of it. He won▓t get anywhere near the Condor where I▓m concerned.■ Aerrow still looked worried, but as they flew back, he remembered how she▓d dispatched the Ace so skilfully before, and the doubt lifted a little.

Dawn had broken, and so had the fight. Stork struggled to keep the Condor under control as the Cyclonians battered endlessly at it, crystal bolts flying every which way. Master Cyclonis was furious at having let the two traitors escape so easily, and every Cyclonian was trying their very best to capture either of them; they knew how failure would be treated.  
⌠Finn, take them out in the air. Don▓t let them anywhere near the Condor. Junko, follow suit; Authenti and Risk can stay here and-⌠ ⌠And let the Dark Ace emaciate you all? No way, kid. I▓m getting▓ my tail over to the cannons.■ ⌠Fine, Risk, but be-⌠ ⌠Don▓t bother. I know how to be careful, and if you try and tell me that, I▓ll do the Cyclonians▓ job for them!■ Risk bared her teeth at him.  
⌠O┘kay┘■ ⌠I▓m going to go get some more crystals from the lab √ they won▓t know what hit ▒em!■ grinned Piper.  
⌠Oh, Piper, could I borrow your ▒copter?■ ⌠Um, sure, but if you bash it up I swear I▓ll kill you myself!■ Authenti nodded with a light-hearted grin, and headed off with Aerrow to the Skimmer bay.  
⌠Ugh, it▓s so slow,■ she yelled. ⌠Seriously, how does she keep up with you lot?■ Aerrow laughed, skirmishing one-handed with three Cyclonians at once. Despite his broken arm, he was fighting well. ⌠Look out!■ he yelled suddenly. Authenti turned to see the Dark Ace himself approaching at lightning speed. Everything seemed to go in slow motion┘ The Ace caught her eye┘ fired a shot clumsily, missed┘ and he▓d passed her.  
He did it deliberately, she realised. He doesn▓t want to kill me.  
Authenti was yelling orders to Finn, Junko and Aerrow; get out of the way, he▓s not going to go easy on you!

The Dark Ace lay awake in his room. Master Cyclonis was more than furious at his failure. He▓d taken out the Storm Hawks, one by one, but neither the lizard nor the wolf had been captured.  
The wolf┘ He was going against his own honours, his own promises to himself; and yet he did it without understanding why.  
He didn▓t want to think about what he▓d done, but it refused to leave his mind. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt, and his conscience was burning with the memories. It was painful to believe he▓d betrayed Cyclonia. And, slowly, he began to sink into a restless sleep, plagued with nightmares.

Authenti sighed. She▓d felt a strong pull towards Cyclonia since the battle had ended, and even though they▓d defeated this most recent wave of attack, she didn▓t have the feeling that it was over.  
⌠Risk, stay with the Storm Hawks. I▓m going back to Cyclonia.■ ⌠They won▓t hesitate to kill you this time.■ ⌠I know.■ ⌠I▓ll get a cloaking crystal from Piper.■ ⌠Better make that more than one. I want to be doubly sure.■ ⌠Right.■

Aerrow had dropped her off at the edge of the terra and flown swiftly away. She▓d managed to sneak into Cyclonia, darting through the crowds and being careful not to give away her position. Getting into the palace was no trouble, either, but finding the Ace was another matter entirely. His quarters were empty, but there was a note from Ravess.  
I saw what you refused to do. Meet me in my flagship. We need to talk. Yes┘ this is blackmail.  
Authenti grinned at Ravess▓ scribbled note, and picked it up. The last thing she needed was Cyclonis catching on and putting the Ace under surveillance √ they▓d pick up her presence as well.  
She scurried along the corridors, another cloaking crystal in paw, and found a Talon parked just outside, resting against the wall. Cloaking this with the spare crystal, she wheeled it outside the city walls and managed to get away without being discovered.  
After an hour of searching, she found the flagship and turned off the Talon▓s engine, gliding silently and invisibly forwards. She landed clumsily on the roof of the flagship, taking care to avoid skylight windows and, finding an open hatch, slipped inside.  
Pausing, she lifted her invisible muzzle into the air and tried to separate the numerous scents. Not here. She moved on, and after several long corridors, she caught the scent of the Dark Ace┘ and, following both his and Ravess▓ scents to a large room with a vaulted ceiling, she was hit with a feeling of pathetic despair. Something was horribly wrong here.  
⌠Ace, you are a traitor.■ ⌠State the obvious. I had no choice.■ ⌠Oh, really?■ Ravess took up her violin and began to play, a dangerous melody that struck fear into Authenti▓s heart. Music usually took a huge effect on the wolf▓s moods, and this one was almost too threatening to bear.  
⌠You, Dark Ace, had more choices than I did. Master Cyclonis trusts you, and if she finds out what you did┘■ she paused; ⌠┘or didn▓t do┘ then I think it▓s safe to say she would be very, very upset.■ ⌠Ravess, please-⌠ ⌠Hah! This is rich. I never thought I▓d get you to beg, Ace!■ ⌠Begging is such a strong word-⌠ ⌠But that▓s what you▓re doing, isn▓t it? Begging, pleading for your life.■ The Dark Ace hissed something that Authenti couldn▓t quite hear through the music.  
⌠No, I don▓t think I▓ll tell her just yet┘■ mused Ravess, cruelly. ⌠I▓ll let you squirm for a while. You owe me your life, Ace. Don▓t forget that.■ Authenti moved closer, standing inside, by the door. She could hear their conversation better here┘ but she could also pick up the strong, evil sense of hopelessness √ and it was coming from the Dark Ace.  
I do have to wonder whether Finn was right. Maybe letting him die would have spared him this.  
Authenti sighed quietly, knowing that it was not her way to do something like that.  
The Dark Ace got up to leave, all those sparks of defiance gone from his eyes as he turned to where Authenti was hidden.  
⌠Oh, and Ace?■ He turned his head slightly, stopping at the door.  
⌠Make sure you don▓t do anything so rash again. I do so hate getting into debt with people, don▓t you?■ Her voice was cool but malicious.  
The Dark Ace left the room, and Authenti slipped out behind him.  
The wolf turned down one corridor away from him, and got up to the roof, where she waited until her quarry sped into the distance. Then she revved the engine of her stolen Talon and followed him. Halfway back to Cyclonia, he turned and wheeled round to meet her. She blinked, and realised he▓d heard the engine of her Talon. She picked up the cloaking crystals from the pocket of her jeans, and removed the cloaking.  
⌠Why did you follow me?■ Authenti hovered on the winds.  
⌠I don▓t know. I just did.■ ⌠That isn▓t a proper answer.■ ⌠No, it▓s my answer.■ ⌠We can▓t talk here. It▓s too close to Cyclonia.■ ⌠Then aim down. We▓ll meet in the wastelands.■ Before he could protest, she did a spiralling nosedive and vanished through the clouds.  
He followed her unwillingly, and found her standing on a rocky plateau surrounded by lava. He followed suit, and leaned on his Talon, watching the molten rock boil and swirl about around the plateau.  
⌠How long have you been following me?■ Authenti smiled at the ground.  
⌠Long enough to know that Ravess intends to tip you off to Cyclonis. Cloaking crystals are quite useful.■ There was a long silence in which neither said anything. Eventually, the Dark Ace walked over to the edge of the rock with a sigh and sat down. Authenti smiled and did the same. The Ace tossed a stone into the magma and watched it sink and melt.  
⌠You▓re troubled.■ ⌠Of course I▓m troubled! I▓ve betrayed Master Cyclonis herself and now that Ravess knows, I won▓t have long to wait before I▓m killed in some excruciatingly painful way!■ The Dark Ace▓s outburst didn▓t bother Authenti.  
⌠You▓re starting to sound a lot like Stork.■ ⌠Stork┘?■ ⌠This Merb I know. He▓s really pessimistic; he sees doom in everything.■ ⌠I can▓t help it! Cyclonis is going to kill me herself when she finds out!■ ⌠Master Cyclonis is relied upon too much.■ The Ace looked at her quizzically.  
⌠I kind of feel sorry for her. She doesn▓t want to admit it, but she▓s too young for running a kingdom. I probably sound like her mother when I say this, but one of these days, that much pressure is going to take its toll on her, and she▓ll need you to rely on when that happens.■ Dark Ace sighed and looked back down at his feet.  
⌠That isn▓t going to stop her from disposing of me.■ ⌠Isn▓t it?■ Authenti▓s eyes reflected the ever-changing lava. ⌠She would never say this herself, but she needs you.■ The Dark Ace found himself reflecting upon the time when he▓d saved her life, when Aerrow had destroyed the Aurora crystal, and he felt a flicker of hope before it sparked out and vanished again.  
Authenti had seen this in his eyes, just as she▓d known when Stork was about to lose it.  
⌠It▓s hard to talk with the enemy and do so much, then keep your sanity at the end.■ She swished her tail, and grinned. ⌠But I manage. And so will you.■ ⌠I▓m not so sure.■ ⌠Come on, you▓re Cyclonia▓s best pilot. Your leader won▓t get rid of you that easily. There will come a time √ and maybe it▓ll happen quite soon √ that Cyclonia will need you. Sometime soon, Atmosia will launch a full-scale attack, and without you there to lead the fight, Cyclonia will crumble √ you mark my words.■ Another rock was dropped into the lava.  
⌠Cyclonis needs you. She can▓t manage by herself.■ ⌠She has Ravess┘ and she has Snipe. Not to mention all the other fighters.■ ⌠So? You saved her life, Dark Ace. You really think she wouldn▓t remember that?■ ⌠How in the world did you know about that!?■ Authenti tapped her muzzle and grinned.  
⌠I have my ways of knowing things.■ The Dark Ace looked at her suspiciously, then got up slowly and headed for his ride.  
⌠Well┘ see you.■ ⌠Or not, as the case may be┘ but I have a feeling we▓ll meet again.■ The Dark Ace paid her one last glance, then took off over the lava and headed for Cyclonia. Authenti watched him disappear through the clouds, and sighed with a knowing smile on her face.  
If any of the lava creatures had been looking √ which they weren▓t √ they would have seen a strange wolf get to its feet and stand tall against the greyish-black clouds, and rain begin to fall on the lava, hissing and spitting as it hit the surface and evaporated instantly.  
If these lava creatures stayed to watch, and if they listened, they▓d have seen the wolf raise its muzzle to the sky and howl.  
The Dark Ace heard it, faintly. He felt the rain spatter in ice-cold burning sheets across his face, and he heard the howl in the distance. Had he known what she was howling, had he understood more about wolves, he still couldn▓t have understood any better.  
That howl.  
That howl was a cry of freedom. 


	4. Chapter 4

The Raptors were in a fix. Misguided by an out-of-date map, they'd set out for a desert and once again ended up in a blizzard.

"Just _where_ did you get that map from, Spitz?" hissed Repton coolly.

"Uh, I found it, boss…"

"Found it… where?" His voice was dangerously quiet.

"In… In a Terradon marketplace, boss…"

"Have you forgotten," began Repton; "that the Terradons in general are _against _us?"

"N-no, boss-"

"THEN WHY DID YOU AGREE TO USING THEIR MAP!?" exploded Repton.

Spitz flinched away from him, apologising over and over, and Repton hit him.

"Shut up! I hear something!" Repton listened hard. The noise stopped. Repton sighed, and the footsteps edged nearer.

"Why can't you just-" he stopped again. It seemed that whenever any of them began speaking, their follower came nearer.

"Uh, boss? I can't hear anything," stated Spitz.

"Of course you can't," Repton hissed quietly. "It seems that our _stalker_ only moves when there's noise to cover their footsteps."

A snowball hit him squarely in the face, and he snarled.

"Idiots! Who threw that!?"

His henchlizards looked confused.

Another snowball seemed to come from nowhere, and this time it was aimed at Hoerk. A giggle sounded from somewhere to Repton's left.

"Over there!"

A shape flashed fleetingly, then winked out again. Then a voice called out.

"Heehee, raptors are so fun to play with!"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" hissed Repton.

Snow began to fall, and finally their stalker emerged from the flakes around them.

It was a grey wolf, her eyes as embers that pierced the whiteness, and she pulled the hood of her thick cloak down to reveal strange metallic blue hair which she shook out with a flick of her head.

Repton snarled and lunged forwards, infuriated at this snow-launching freak.

Authenti stepped aside easily and laughed as he plunged into a snowdrift.

"Need to work on your hunting skills, Repton."

"How do you know who I am!?" he hissed, standing to shake the snow from his frozen scales.

"First things first, do you know who _I _am?" she giggled.

Repton eyed her curiously, as did the rest of his gang.

"Oh, dear. I suppose Cyclonia only informs its own armies of its wanted lists. I'm Authenti, fierce fighter and expert tracker, at your service." She took a bow and grinned.

"What do you mean, at our service? You-"

"Don't mind me, I just like to play around a bit before I introduce myself." She laughed again through the sleet that was now pouring down upon them all. "Anyway, I'm guessing you're not here on purpose. Where are your rides? I don't want to stay here for too long, that's for certain."

The Raptors were completely nonplussed.

"You expect us to just go with you?"

"Well, yes, unless you happen to _like _freezing your arse off. And I'm pretty sure you don't, you're starting to go blue, look." She pointed to Repton's claws, and he checked them self-consciously. "Made you look. But seriously, let's go."

Finally, Repton gave in.

_What harm can it do?_ he asked himself.

Authenti followed them to their sky-rides and sat comfortably on the wing of Repton's, who hissed at her.

"What? I don't have my own ride. And to be honest, your friends here creep me out. Actually, so do you, but much less so."

Repton snarled at her and revved the engine. She'd probably fall on takeoff anyway, what's the point in arguing?

The other Raptors grumbled to each other as they reached cloud level. Who was this strange wolf creature, and why was Repton doing everything she told him to? It wasn't like him.

Authenti kept her balance easily.

"Aren't you going to go any faster?" she asked, laughing over the wind.

Repton snarled. "There's nowhere to go. _Someone _brought an outdated map."

"Oh, then head for Cyclonia and go around the outside. There's a nice little place I think you'll like. Not much, but it's hot there."

Repton eyed her reproachfully, so she reached over and cuffed him around the head.

"It's rude to stare, Raptor. Something wrong?"

They'd reached the small terra hovering over the Wastelands after a few hours.

"How did you know this was here?" asked Spitz, once they'd landed. "I thought this place was unmapped."

"How would you know?" snapped Repton, pushing him backwards. "You were the one who got us that old map in the first place!"

"Sorry, boss…"

"Look, if it'll make you feel better, you can keep this. Just don't lose it." Authenti tossed a map to Repton. He caught it, and saw that it had…

"The Cyclonian mark? Where did you get this, wolf?"

Authenti raised a brow and looked at him as if he was stupid.

"Oh, I got it from Terra Gale," she growled sarcastically. "It's from Cyclonia, of course!"

"How?"

"I stayed there for a little while. Nice little city there. Can't say I didn't enjoy my stay in the palace."

"You stayed in Master Cyclonis' _palace_?"

Authenti grinned at him and sat on the edge of the terra, the hot air rising from the wastelands and warming the pads on her paws.

The other Raptors mulled about dismally, afraid to do anything without their leader's consent. Repton noticed, and hissed.

"You might as well take a breather, boys."

They sat down obediently, a little way apart from Authenti; they still didn't trust her. Repton remained standing, and looked out across the thin smattering of smoky clouds. He spotted another terra, and checked it on his map.

"Why is that terra marked as dangerous, wolf?" he enquired.

"Oh, the Dark Ace ran into a bit of trouble there." She suppressed a smile, saying nothing about how she'd saved his life. Repton noticed her expression.

"You're hiding something," he stated, drawing his blade and holding it close to her neck. She didn't move.

"Speak!" he growled, and nicked her shoulder with the blade. She turned swiftly and knocked the weapon from his claws with one swipe, leaping forwards and tackling him to the ground, rolling twice before they stopped and she had him pinned to the ground, sharp white teeth in his face, eyes blazing in anger.

"That," she began, "was uncalled for." She snarled at him, and the other Raptors crowded round with their own weapons drawn. She got up, tail bristling and her ears flat on her skull, and stepped back to look around at the group of Raptors.

"Dismal," she remarked. "absolutely, undeniably dismal. When was the last time you _actually_ fought hand-to-hand with anyone?"

"Are you saying that the Raptors are weak?" put in Repton, and the others visibly tensed.

Authenti paused for a moment. "That's one way of putting it," she grinned truthfully. The others immediately stepped forwards, but she bared her teeth and they hesitated.

"You see? I'm smaller than the lot of you, and I still managed to beat your leader."

"I am not beaten. I was merely… taken by surprise."

"But that's exactly what's wrong, isn't it? Your tactics are to take the prey by surprise. You should be attacking me now, and yet you are not."

"Enough!" roared Repton, launching forwards. Authenti ducked, and it was too late to stop. Repton managed to grab wildly at the edge of the terra. The other Raptors gasped.

"Idiot," she muttered, offering a paw. Repton declined with a snap, but she rolled her eyes. "Your claws are slipping," she said simply. Repton fell. Authenti lunged and caught his arm, insulting him violently under her breath. "Weak, idiotic, and yet you're still surprisingly heavy."

Repton snarled at her.

"I could have climbed up myself!"

"No, Repton, no you couldn't." She shook her head and managed to pull him up enough to let him scramble to his feet on his own. The other Raptors crowded around him, worried, but he hit Leugey and they backed off.

"I'm fine, you idiots!"

"Sorry, boss…" they apologised in unison.

It was late. The Raptors were all asleep, and Authenti was lying on her back with her eyes to the stars. They'd stayed on the small terra overnight, grateful at least for the warmth that emanated from the lava below. Only Repton remained awake, standing a little way off, keeping watch on Authenti.

"Go to sleep, Repton. I'm not going to attack you."

He kept his silence, but in a few hours she looked around and he'd dropped off unwillingly. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes, curling up on the winter cloak that she was lying on.

"Well, we'd better get moving."

"To where, boss?"

Repton hesitated. He really hadn't thought this through at all.

"Boss?"

"I want to see how dangerous this terra really is," he hissed, pointing to the silhouette in the distance.

"Bad idea, lizard. The Dark Ace broke his ribs there. And to be perfectly honest with you, I really can't be arsed to get you out of another fix."

"The Dark Ace _what_?" he asked, genuinely taken aback.

"Broke his ribs. I said it was dangerous."

"How?"  
"There's a host of nasty predators there that won't hesitate to find you and… erm, well, eat you."

"Doesn't sound too bad," Repton grinned; it reminded him of himself.

"Atmos to Repton. Do you read me, Repton?" she joked. "_Broke his ribs._ It stood on him. They're about the size of the treetops."

The other Raptors muttered, having second thoughts, and Repton sighed.

"_Fine_. If you're so worried about hurting yourselves, then we'll have to go somewhere else."

"How about Tropica?"

Repton couldn't help but smile, but he hid it before he turned to his crewmates.

"What do you think, boys?"

The others nodded vigorously, and Authenti winked infuriatingly at him.

"Fine, Tropica it is."

They mounted their bikes and launched over the edge of the terra, the sudden rushing of hot air making their rides dangerously unstable. Authenti had hitched a ride on Spitz's ride this time, balancing on the wing with her legs folded and one paw holding the front of the wing to avoid sliding backwards. She ignored Spitz laboriously; he kept glancing at her every few minutes as if to make sure she was actually there.

"Would you please stop that?" she asked politely, after the _n_th time. Spitz went pale and leaned away from her slightly, trying to focus on his driving. He was clearly afraid that she was about to chew through his neck.

Tropica. Golden beaches, glittering azure seas and waves big enough to wow the Blizzarians… and…

"Finn?" Authenti asked, squinting in the hot sun. Yes, surely that was Finn on a surfboard, riding the waves and whooping to himself… and the others were nearby! Piper was lying on a beach towel, sunglasses on and a bottle of sun lotion standing next to a drink with a toothpick-fan in a slice of lemon floating in the glass. Junko was trying to dunk Aerrow, who was laughing and trying to scramble onto a float the shape of a Sky Shark.

Authenti blinked, and turned to the Raptors. They'd noticed the Storm Hawks, and were scowling to themselves.

"Ignore them. I'm not letting them spoil our visit," hissed Repton, and the others trooped off to a surf shack. Repton fumbled with a set of keys, and let them inside. They emerged moments later armed with surfboards. Apparently they weren't about to change clothes, however.

"I'm going over there."

"You know them?" Repton hissed at her.

"Yes, they're good friends of mine. Relax, I'm not planning anything with them; you lot need a day off just as much as the Storm Hawks;" she added, seeing Repton's suspicious glance. The wolf headed over, and waved, grinning, to Piper.

"Authenti!" she yelled, sitting up. "What brings you here?" she grinned.

"Oh, I'm here with the Raptors," she laughed.

"The _Raptors_?"

Authenti grinned at her. "Yeah, but don't worry, if they try anything I'll rip their throats out for you. I don't think they will, though, other than a surfing contest!" She eyed Finn, who had fallen off his board and was being swamped by a huge wave. "Oh, by the way, where's Stork?" She paused.

"He stayed on the Condor," they both droned together, then burst out laughing.

"So like him."

"Yup. He's so _boring _sometimes."

"I'll bet he thinks he'll get diseases from the sea or something."

"Yeah, or eaten by giant crabs!" They shared more laughter, then looked up as they heard a high-pitched scream.

"Hey, don't be so mean!" Authenti joked, seeing Junko, Aerrow and Finn dragging a struggling Stork into the sea, clothes and all. After they let him go, he stood there quietly for a few minutes, paralysed, eye twitching frantically, before suddenly making a bolt for it. He wasn't quick enough, however, and Finn pounced on him, dunking him with a yell of triumph.

Authenti leapt into action and ran, laughing, to join them, followed by Piper.

"Hey, Storm Hawks!" came a yell from the other end of the beach. "Beat this!"

"Check it out, the Raptors've actually got some pretty cool moves!" remarked Finn, seeing Spitz standing on his hands whilst on his surfboard.

"Eh, we can take 'em!" grinned Aerrow, grabbing his own board and following Finn to challenge their enemies to a friendly duel for once.

Stork fled from the sea and collapsed on a bank, his eye twitching madly whilst he was muttering things to himself. Authenti guessed he was probably listing the many ways he could die whilst he was at the beach. She shook the water from her fur like a dog, and padded up to him over the sand.

"Hey, Stork."

"_Aagh_!" he screamed, throwing his arms up for protection. "…Oh… Oh, it's you." He blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"Don't you like Tropica?" she asked.

"Um, well, yeah, it's just that there are so many things that can happen to you – and Finn tried to freakin' _drown_ me!"

"Oh, he was just playing around. Hey, at least it's not freezing cold here, eh?"

Stork hadn't heard her. "And then there are the Raptors, I'm almost _certain_ they're planning something…"

"Stork, they came here on vacation. They didn't even know you lot were here."

"Even so…" He gave a furtive look in their direction. Finn was shouting insults loudly as the Raptors slowly beat him in a surfing race.

"Come on, you have to admit, it _is _really awesome here."

"Riddled with diseases, if you ask me…" Stork warned, but got up to follow her as she made her way down the beach. They turned a corner and entered a cove-

"Holy flag of England, the whole of Cyclonia came down for a visit!"

Stork blinked, stunned, then fell backwards in a dead faint. Authenti shook her head and padded down the slope.

The Dark Ace turned.

"Wha-!?" he began, seeing Authenti skidding her way down the sandbanks.

"Nice shorts," she commented, grinning, and he went red.

"Uh-"

"Why am I here? Well, mostly because the whole of Atmos is here too, you're on your own down here." She gestured to the scattered Cyclonians who were, apparently, enjoying their break on the beach.

"The-"

"The Storm Hawks are here, yes, and so are the Raptors."

A shadow crossed the Dark Ace's face, but she just grinned and waved off the other questions.

"They're here on vacation, like me. So are the Raptors; a bad map got them lost so they came here instead." She grinned and waved to some of the other Cyclonians, who were staring. "Hi there! Nice day for the beach!"

The Dark Ace shook his head, embarrassed.

"Stop making a scene," he muttered.

"Hah! You sound like my mother." He blushed further. "Well, nice seeing you, but I have to be getting back. Stork fainted."

"Weak-minded idiot," he insulted.

"Afraid so, but it wouldn't be like him otherwise. Well, bye!" She turned tail and sped up the hill to pause at the top and attempt to wake Stork.

"S-sir? Wasn't that the wolf-"

"Yes. But we are here on vacation, after all. We can let her live, for now."

"Whoa, you serious?"

"Yes, but guess what? They're on holiday too! So I suppose that means no weapons. No fighting, either, unless you want me to kick you all to kingdom come!"

"Aw, man!" cried Finn.

"Um, what happened to Stork?" asked Piper, glancing nervously at the limp form at Authenti's feet.

"He'll be fine. The shock got to him, that's all. Well, people, you know what that many Cyclonians means, right?" Authenti added.

"Um, since you said we're not allowed to fight them, I seriously have no idea."

"Surf's up!" she yelled, snatching his surfboard from his hand and tearing down the beach into the sea.

"Hey! Come back with that!"

Piper laughed, savouring the moment. Everything was well. Um, except Stork. He was waking up.

"Ugh… Where… Where am I…?"

"Authenti brought you back, you fainted on the spot."

"The Cyclonians! They-"

"I know, Authenti told us. But they won't do anything, they don't have any weapons."

"But… But they…" He appeared speechless at how calm Piper was being over the matter.

"I don't like it either, but Authenti spent three days in Cyclonia, remember? She'd know if they were planning something. Just try to enjoy the day out, okay?"

There was a short silence, then Stork just simply turned and walked away to the Condor.

_I'm not letting them near the ship._

"Um…"

Awkward. So awkward.

"Come on, people, make conversation! It's all tense here!"

Aerrow stared at Authenti.

"I know you guys hate each other, but that doesn't mean you can't forget about it for now, alright? Go surf, or something!"

Aerrow avoided eye contact with him anyway, neither able to explain the wolf's abnormal behaviour. Finally, the silence was broken.

"She's so weird," said the Dark Ace.

Aerrow looked up, and nodded politely.

"She freaks me out a lot."

"Drinks, anyone?" the wolf grinned. She knew how _insane _it was to push those two in each other's faces… and she was loving every minute!

Aerrow took one, sipping quietly. The Dark Ace declined. Both were paralysed, unable to just simply walk away-

"AAGH!" yelled the Dark Ace, pain shooting through his leg. He whipped around to see Authenti standing nearby with a wet towel, grinning devilishly. He raced after her, yelling insults, and she took off along the beach laughing almost hysterically all the way. Aerrow watched, a hesitant smirk playing across his face.

_Maybe I can play along, just for today._

"Hey, Storm Hawk! Heads up!" A Cyclonian threw a crystal at him, and he caught it. It pulsed in his fingers, a high-pitched whine starting up. His fingers burned, and he launched it into the sea just in time. It exploded under the water, and sent a huge wave crashing towards shore. Numerous surfers whooped in joy as they rode the wave, met by scores of latecomers. No one cared any more whether they were talking to a friend or an enemy.

"I wonder if this is how it used to be," Aerrow thought aloud.

"Probably not quite right there," a feminine voice sounded anxiously. He turned to see Piper approaching, pointing in alarm, then turned suddenly to realise the wave was almost upon them. Too late. The sea water slammed down on everyone, washing them up the beach, screams of laughter sounded out, and people were giving high-fives left, right and centre.

"Best water bomb EVER!!"

"Hey, whose idea was that? I wanna go bear-hug 'em!"

"Awesome prank, dude!"

"Hey, where'd Stork go?"

The latter was, as always, Authenti. She'd returned, drenched, having evaded the Dark Ace's angry chase long enough to lose him in the waves.

"Oh, he's grumpy because we're having fun. He went back to the Condor."

"Aw, I feel sorry for him."

"It's his fault," Piper pointed out.

"All the same, I think I'll go try to get him out here."

She padded off in the ship's direction, over the sand dunes.

Five minutes later, she found him reading a book on mind worms, just inside the Condor's entrance.

"Stork? Everyone's having fun out there. You really aren't coming?"

He didn't bother to look up, but replied in a monotone voice.

"There are probably just under a hundred Cyclonians out there, a team of Raptors and my squadron doesn't believe me that we're in danger. No, I'm staying right here."

"Stork, Aerrow was just talking to the Dark Ace for a couple of minutes – and neither got torn to shreds. Isn't that proof enough?"

"I simply refuse to believe that-"

"Stork, they're not even _armed_!"

"You think that'll stop them?"

"_Yes!_" she cried, exasperated. "Everyone's getting along fine for once, and I want you to be there to see it. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me."

"Why would I do it for you and not for the rest of my squadron?" he asked coldly.

"Oh, Stork. I didn't mean it like that. You know I didn't. I meant if you don't," she smirked coolly, "I'll do the Cyclonians' job for them."

Stork paused from his reading and looked up at her, a hand over his eyes – she was standing directly in front of the sun.

"You wouldn't. I know you wouldn't." He paused. "…Would you?"

"Don't push it, Stork," she laughed, grasping his arm and wrenching him to his feet, practically dragging him over the sand.

"I'm not sure about this…" he whispered, cringing slightly.

"Oh, Stork. If anyone _does _try anything – which I know for an absolute fact that they won't – then I'll be there to kick them so hard they fall in the Wastelands! Relax for once and try to enjoy the evening." By now, it actually was evening, and the sky was turning to a clash of fire orange, orchid purple and shell pink. It was the kind of sunset that Authenti liked best, and she sat suddenly on a high dune, pulling him down with her so that he practically collapsed on the sand.

"Isn't it so beautiful?" She was commenting more than asking.

Stork sighed.

"Red sky, there'll be a storm-"

"That's in the morning, genius. If it's at night, something good will happen!"

Stork wasn't so sure, but as he turned to glance at the other beachgoers, he realised that Authenti's words from earlier was true. Cyclonians and Atmosians alike were pretty much getting along perfectly, and a lot had settled to watch the sunset, united possibly by Authenti's 'force to co-operate' strategy. A movement on the grass next to him, and he turned in terror to see that the Dark Ace himself was sitting at Authenti's other side, an uneasy expression in his face. He tensed, expecting him to attack at any minute, but after a completely uneventful minute he gave up.

Stork wondered how Authenti could wield so much power over so many she'd never met, and still remind him nothing of Cyclonis.

The silence thickened as more and more figures retreated from the sea to watch the setting sun, and a feeling of peace washed over the beaches of Terra Tropica.


	5. Thanks for the encouragement!

I thought I'd take some time to thank my readers. Without your constant reviews, I'd never have had the patience to make it past the first chapter. And now I'm going to reward you in the only ways I can think of right now. The first is the opportunity to tell me any ideas you might have for the next chapter – any idea will do! I'm running out!

The second way is…

ASK AUTHENTI! W00t! 8B

Yes, ask that weird wolf herself any question you like. All questions be answered the next chapter, which will include most, if not all, of the good ideas I deem will fit that you lot have conjured.

That last one was a mouthful.

But seriously, I really do need your help for the next chapter. I was going to do a part where Authenti teaches everyone to waltz, but then I thought, you know. Junko+Authbadbadbadbad. e.e Also, the whole thing just didn't flow when I was trying to write it. So I'm stuck, and I'll need your help to carry on the story.

It's impossible to take my fanfiction seriously when you've got Fred the Beard playing in the background. xD It's also extremely hard to concentrate when there's seizure-inducing Hyakugojyuuichi Forever playing, half-sized, positioned just next to Word at the bottom of the screen. GAHBUNGAAAA! 8D

I claim nothing but Authenti and the fanfic so far. The flash movies mentioned are what I happened to be half-watching as I wrote this thing, yo.

I'm sorry for lack of story here, but see above. I repeat my plea for help!


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